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THE 



MINOR TACTICS 



OF 



CHESS 



A Treatise on the Deployment of the Forces 
IN obedience to Strategic Principle 



BY 

FRANKLIN K. YOUNG 

AND 

EDWIN C. HOWELL 



FIFTH EDITION. 



BOSTON: 
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY, 

1901. 



QxV MS] 



Copyright, 1894, 
By Roberts Brothers^ 






• • •• 

• • • • 

• • • 



^[niiiersitD Press: 
John WiLsofj and Son, Cambridge, U. S. A, 



cr- 



^ 



^ CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface 5 

Introductory 9 

The Board . 12 

The Pieces 22 

The Game 42 

Notation . 47 

The Normal Position 51 

Illustrative Games . 57 

Minor Tactics 92 

Pawn Positions 94 

The Superior Pieces . 116 

Primary Bases 124 

APPENDIX 171 



PREFACE. 



IN this contribution to the literature of 
chess the authors have attempted to 
present the elements of a new theory of 
play. They have confined themselves, 
in the main, to the exposition of that 
part of the system which governs the 
opening of a game ; by suggestion, 
however, if not by definite statement, 
they hope to have laid before the reader 
at least the spirit of the complete theory. 
Leibnitz pronounced chess an exact sci- 
ence, Petroff placed it on a level with 
the integral calculus, and the great 
Anderssen declared that its intricacies 
were more abstruse than the most pro- 
found mathematics ; the authors of the 
new theory, agreeing with this trio of 
distinguished scholars, are tempted to 
go still further, and to assert, even at 
the peril of being considered somewhat 
visionary, not only that chess is a real 



6 PREFACE. 

science, but that it may not unreasona- 
bly be regarded as symbolical of the 
supreme science, the science of force. 
If this be true, the study of chess may 
profitably engage the attention of the 
ablest intellects. Those persons who 
make light of the wooden puppets that 
run over the surface of the chess board 
should recollect that a frame of wires 
strung with wooden balls was the famil- 
iar companion of the earlier mathemati- 
cians, that the science of logarithms was 
perfected by means of wooden pegs and 
a board pierced with holes, and that 
Napoleon won his victories before his 
battles were fought, by sticking his 
map of Europe full of pins surmounted 
by divers colored balls of sealing-wax. 

** The art of war," declared Napoleon, 
'' can be comprehended only by the ex- 
haustive study and comparison of the 
campaigns of the great captains." In 
the same way, by the study and com- 
parison of the recorded games of men 
who have risen to eminence as chess 
players, it is possible to discern a simi- 
larity in their methods of calculation 
and procedure, which, if properly com- 
prehended and reduced to a system, 



PREFACE. 7 

must become available as the basis, not 
only of a theory, but of the true theory, 
of chess play, and to deduce from this 
system certain principles whose truth 
and applicability must be universally 
obvious at all times and in all circum- 
stances of practice. This is what the 
authors of this volume have tried to do. 
Their chief aim has been to render the 
player, whether he be a master or a 
novice, independent of all other treat- 
ments of the chess openings, and par- 
ticularly to free him from the slavery of 
mechanical analysis, by educating him 
in the guiding, basic principles of scien- 
tific chess. They realize the gravity of 
their undertaking, and for its support 
they appeal at once to the liberal dis- 
cussion and dispassionate judgment of 
the chess world, and to the experience 
of those beginners who, through the 
door that is here throw^n open, may 
enter upon and behold the beauties of 
the noblest mental diversion which the 
ingenuity of man has devised. 

Boston, 1894. 



INTRODUCTORY. 

TF you should select from your acquaint- 
^ ance any person of mature age, fair 
intelligence, and considerable experience, 
whom, however, you never supposed to be 
a chess player, and should ask him if he 
was familiar with the game, you would prob- 
ably receive the reply : '' Oh, I know the 
moves ! " He might give you a variation 
upon this answer, as, '^ I knew the moves 
once, but I've forgotten them," or, *^ I 've 
only played half a dozen games in my life." 
At all events, he would hardly confess his 
total ignorance of chess. There are few 
persons who have not acquired, at some 
period, recent or remote, at least a smatter- 
ing of the game ; and fewer still who have 
not gained, through reading or through con- 
tact with chess players, a more or less ac- 
curate notion of its general characteristics, 
its machinery, and its nomenclature. 

It may be that you yourself belong to 
one of these classes of individuals who have 
enjoyed chance meetings with Cai'ssa ; if 
such be your status wath reference to her 
ladyship, you will scarcely decline the honor 
of a formal introduction before you essay to 



lO THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

know, her better. It may be, on the other 
hand, that you are totally ignorant of the 
royal game ; in which case it is necessary, of 
course, that you should learn the rudiments 
from the very beginning. Finally, it is not 
unlikely that you are already a chess player of 
considerable strength ; but even then it is 
the hope of the authors of this volume that 
you may derive some profit from a perusal of 
the following pages. The board and men, 
the notation, and the technical rules may 
be regarded as the skeleton of chess, and in 
describing them here an attempt is made 
to give you a simple and practical idea of the 
anatomy of the game. Having mastered 
this idea, you will be in the most favorable 
position to look beneath the surface, and to 
understand the principles and appreciate the 
deeper beauties of the science. 

As you read what follows you should 
make dilligent use of a chess board and a 
set of men. Although the text is liberally 
provided with illustrations, you should not 
depend on these alone, but should study by 
means of the actual board and men every 
position that is laid before you in a diagram. 
Moreover, your board and men should be of 
generous proportions. Beginners at chess 
are too apt to provide themselves with very 
small men, thinking that ^' These will be 
good enough for me until I know more of 
the game." This is a mistake. With di- 



IN TROD UCTORY. 1 1 

minutive pieces on diminutive squares you 
obtain only a cramped view of a situation, 
not much better a view than you would ob- 
tain from a mere diagram. In order that 
the pieces should stand out very distinctly 
one from another, and that their lines of 
movement over the board should appear 
perfectly clear to you, the squares should be 
at least two and one-fourth inches broad, 
and the pieces not less than a small club 
size, in which the King has a diameter of 
one and a half inches at the base. If you 
study with full -sized club men, whose King 
has a diameter of two inches, and on a 
board whose squares measure two and a half 
or three inches, so much the better. The 
men should be of the Staunton pattern. 
Above all, you must shun the so-called 
French model — in which the Queen is 
bullet-headed and befrilled, and the Bishops 
are just as stupid and effeminate-looking as 
she — as the ughest and most insignificant 
tools that a chess student can handle. Start 
well, then, with board and men of the 
proper sort, and you will not only find the 
first steps of the game more interesting, but 
you will make better headway than you 
would with a miserable lot of bone or 
wooden pieces which are fit only for the 
amusement of children in a nursery. 



THE BOARD. 

A CHESS board is at first sight a very 
"^^^ simple and straightforward matter of a 
few Hues and squares, and of two colors. 
It is, primarily, one big square, which is di- 
vided by transverse lines into sixty-four 
smaller squares, all of the same size and 
alternately colored white and black. Red 
is frequently used in place either of the 
white or of the black, so that the squares are 
red and black, or white and red ; and what 
is called white is generally cream color, or 
pale yellow, or buff; but these variations of 
tint are rather aesthetic than material, and 
the two colors of the chess board, whatever 
they may happen really to be, must be re- 
garded and designated merely as white and 
black. It may as well be stated right here 
that in playing chess you must have the 
board so situated before you as to present 
a white square in the corner nearest to your 
right hand. This arrangement has nothing 
to do with the spirit of chess, to be sure, as 
the game might perfectly well be played on 
squares of one color ; but, as the alternation 
of colors is of great value in marking the 



THE BOARD. 13 

squares distinctly, so the uniform disposition 
of the board with a white corner at your 
right is of advantage in the description and 
study of the game. 

If you will now place your board before 
you, we will examine it together, and en- 
deavor to find in it something besides that 
very simple matter of lines and squares and 
colors. These, indeed, you should look upon 
as nothing more than guide-posts to help you 
on your way, and as superficial features of 
the board, whereas, beneath the surface, as 
it were, you will discover other and more 
important objects for your consideration. 

In order to form the most lucid idea of 
the operations of the game, it is essential 
that you should conceive all the pieces 
as moving, not over a row of squares from 
the first to the last square of the row, 
but along a sh^aight line, from oite point to 
another. This principle will later be formally 
laid down for your adoption and guidance ; 
for the present it is sufficient that you 
should accept it as a general truth, demand- 
ing the treatment of the chess board which 
is here given. You need not suppose that 
the points upon which your attention is to 
be fixed are pure mathematical points, — 
things without size, or, at the most, infi- 
nitely small, — nor that the lines are pure 
mathematical fines, which possess length, 
but not thickness ; it will be enough if you 



14 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

imagine the points and lines to be such that 
you might draw with a pencil, and if you 
fasten them in your mind clearly, and exactly 
where they belong. 

The points of the chess board that are 
of importance are not the corners of the 
squares ; these are visible points, to be sure, 
but they are only accidental. With them 
the movements of the pieces, which consti- 
tute the operations of the game, have nothing 
at all to do. The points that you must find 
and study are situated at the centres of the 
sqicares ; in fact, they are the centres of 
the squares, and the only things about the 
squares that are really worth considering. 
You are asked, therefore, to dismiss from 
your mental vision all other points that you 
see, or think you see, on the chess board, 
and to accept the following proposition as 
the starting point of our theory : — 

The only points of the chess board that 
are used in chess are the sixty-four centres 
of the sixty-four squares into which the 
board is divided. 

Every one of these points has a particu- 
lar designation, which will be explained 
farther on in connection with the notation 
of the chess board, but you would better 
not make )70ur acquaintance with this until 
after you learn the names and positions of 
the pieces, upon which the notation is 
based. 



THE BOARD. I5 

If you now select any two points at ran- 
dom, and connect them by a straight hne, 
you may or may not get a hne that is of 
value in chess. For example, in the follow- 
ing diagram, the line ab \% used in the game ; 
so is the hne ac\ so is the hne ad\ and so 
is the line ae] but the line xy does not 
enter into the practice of chess in any 
manner. 

Fig. 2. 



The peculiarities of the lines ab, ac, and 
ad, may be seen at a glance : ab passes 
through the centres of a row of squares in 
a direction which, without doing violence to 
a mathematical term, may be called horizon- 
tal ; ac, in a similar manner, may be re- 
garded as vertical; and ad, considered 



1 6 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS, 

with reference to the squares through which it 
passes, has clearly the direction of a diagonal. 
The line ae, however, belongs to none of 
these three classes ; and at first sight it 
would appear to be neither fish, flesh, nor 
fowl. Nevertheless, it is drawn according 
to method, and its direction is well defined, 
as the next diagram will show. 

Fig. 3. 




In this figure we start with the point a 
and draw the horizontal hne ap, extending to 
the centre of the next square but one to the 
right ; then, starting with the point /, we 
draw the vertical line pe, extending to the 
centre of the next square above ; and finally 
we connect the points a and e so as to get 



THE BOARD. \J 

the oblique line ae. Now you will notice, 
by comparing the two diagrams, that ae in 
Fig. 3 has exactly the same direction and 
length as <^^in Fig. 2. In fact, we obtained 
the ae oi Fig. 2 by just the same method 
that we used in obtaining the ae oi Fig. 3, 
except that we did not actually draw the 
auxiliary lines ap and pe, but, as sufficed 
for our purpose, merely imagined them drawn. 
In general language, in order to obtain the 
point e we went two points to the right from 
it, and then one point upward. But we 
might have gone one point downward in- 
stead of upward, and then we should have 
got, in Fig. 3, the point d and the oblique line 
ad, which is of the same nature in chess 
as the oblique line ae. Or, again starting 
from a, we might have gone two points 
to the left, to r, and then one point upward 
or downward, to h or /, and have got one of 
the obhque lines ah and ai. Or, finally, 
once more setting out from a, we might 
have proceeded first two points upward or 
downward, to q or s, and then one point to 
the right or left, to /, ^, c, or b ] whence 
we arrive at af, ag, ac, or ab, all of 
which are oblique lines of the same nature 
as ae, ad, ah, and ai. Making our de- 
parture from any other point of the board 
besides a, we might obtain a set of oblique 
lines corresponding in direction and length 
to those which we have found in Fig. 3 ; 



1 8 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

and it will be well for you to trace in this 
manner all the obliques of the board, as it 
is convenient to call them, beginning, one 
after the other, with each and every point. 
You will follow this rule, the principles of 
which you have no doubt already gathered 
from the foregoing description : — 

In order to obtain obliques upon the 
chess board, take any point as the initial 
point, proceed two points to the right or 
to the left, and then one point forward or 
backward ; or else two points forward 
or backward, and then one point to the 
right or to the left : the point thus reached 
"Will be the final point of one of the 
obliques desired. 

You will find that the number of the 
obliques that you can draw from any initial 
point will vary, according to the position of 
the point with respect to the limits of the 
board. Starting from a corner point, for 
example, you will get only two obliques ; 
whereas, starting from one of the points 
nearest to the middle of the board, as we 
show in Fig. 3, you will obtain eight, which 
is the greatest possible number. 

Having now secured a general compre- 
hension of the lines of the chess board, — 
horizontals, verticals, diagonals, and obliques, 
— you may trace upon your board, for prac- 
tice, all the horizontals, verticals, and diago- 
nals, as you have already traced all the 



THE BOARD. 10 

obliques. The following diagrams (pages 20, 
21) completely represent these various lines, 
and however simple they may appear, you 
should examine them carefully and exhaust- 
ively in connection with your board, as they 
constitute in their entirety the actual or math- 
ematical chess board, in distinction from the 
apparent or visible chess board. 

It is not expedient at this time to say 
anything more concerning the points and 
lines of the board ; references will be made 
to them in the future as occasions demand ; 
every one of them will acquire character 
and individuality from the pecuHar move- 
ments of the various pieces, and many will 
receive specific designations dependent on 
the operations of the game. Certain mathe- 
matical figures, too, which are ' formed by 
some of the lines in combination with one 
another, will be of service in defining valua- 
ble principles of play ; indeed, although the 
more abstruse mathematical features of the 
game will be subordinated in this elementary 
treatise to the cause of simplicity, you will feel, 
with the authors, that the science of chess 
has a mathematical basis which in practice 
may neither be overlooked nor disregarded. 



20 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 
Fig, 4. 




The Horizontals. 
Fig. 5. 



li 









.J' 



The Verticals. 



THE BOARD. 
Fig. 6. 



21 









^^"^4 s >/ '\' ^^l ^v '< V 

,'^V.\X .NX V' V/ \;' :\, ; 






The Diagonals. 
Fig. 7. 




The Obliques. 



THE PIECES. 

/^^HESS is a test of mental skill and 
^^ strength between two persons, who, 
having weapons of equal value at their com- 
mand, endeavor to overcome each other by 
the superior handling of these weapons. 
The longer a person plays chess, the more 
distinctly he feels that there is a kind of 
force, — artificial, perhaps, but none the less 
to be regarded as real, — inherent in the 
pieces and radiating from them. Writers 
on chess speak of ^^ the pressure" exerted 
by one player upon the other, liken the more 
powerful pieces to ^^ heavy artillery," and 
picturesquely describe '^ the unmasking of 
batteries against the enemy;" all of which 
is within the bounds of truth, displaying the 
just impressions of the writer, but falhng 
short of the actual fact. For, — as you will 
find by experience, and as you will be urged 
to believe, even without experience, at the 
very outset, — 

Every one of the chess pieces, when 
properly posted, exerts a constant po-vsrer 
either against the force and position of the 
adversary, or in a defensive manner by 
supporting your own force and position. 



THE PIECES. 23 

You and your opponent move your pieces 
alternately, and you may be inclined, from a 
superficial consideration, to think that you 
can wield your weapons only when it is 
your turn to move, and that you can wield 
only one weapon at a time, — namely, the 
piece whose position you actually change ; 
but if you would become a strong player 
you must not cherish this idea, which is 
nothing less than a dangerous fallacy. In 
moving a piece you alter the disposition 
of your own forces and the relative dis- 
position of the two forces ; however, at 
the moment you move and at every other 
moment, all your pieces — those which re- 
main stationary as well as the one which 
you move — are potential and active, 
and — 

A move is itself a peculiar manifestation 
of power only in so far as it tends to im- 
prove, develop and increase the aggregate 
of potentiality of your forces. 

If you accept this maxim, as you are 
asked to do at once, you will appreciate the 
essential importance of this logical conclu- 
sion : that — 

You should move your pieces, from the 
very first step of the game, into such posi- 
tions that they shall, individually and collec- 
tively, radiate the most power, offensively, 
against the adversary, and, defensively, for 
the support of your own position. 



24 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

It is for your instruction in the proper 
manner of accomplishing this result in the 
opening of the game that this book is written. 
It is a matter, however, whose detailed treat- 
ment belongs to a later stage of the theory ; 
just now it is sufficient that you bear in mind, 
while studying the characteristics of the va- 
rious pieces, their natures as active agents of 
chess force. 

The weapons — called pieces — by means 
of which a chess contest is fought, are divisi- 
ble into six classes, according to the direc- 
tion and magnitude of the forces which they 
radiate, and the classes of lines along which 
they are moved. The pieces of the com- 
bined vertical and horizontal class, compris- 
ing, that is to say, the pieces that are moved 
either along verticals or along horizontals, 
and which radiate their forces in the same 
directions, are called Rooks ; those of the 
diagonal class are the Bishops ; those of the 
oblique class are the Knights ; those of 
the combined vertical, horizontal, and diago- 
nal classes, are the Queens and the Kings, 
which differ from each other in respect to 
the magnitudes of their forces ; those of the 
vertical-diagonal class, in which the direc- 
tion of movement is vertical, but the direc- 
tion of force is diagonal, are the Pawns. 
Each player has two Rooks, two Bishops, 
two Knights, one Queen, one King, and 
eight Pawns, — sixteen pieces in all. The 



THE PIECES. 



25 



pieces of the six classes are represented in 
diagrams as follows : — 



White. 



Fig. 8. 

King. Queen. Rook. Bishop. Knight. Pawn. 



Black, ^^^ 



We will now consider the various pieces 
separately and in detail. 



Fig. 9. 



i. 



^ y//M. 

^ W^y W^-: 

p;^ "'''''''■ 

W, 'W%>. wM y////////, 

wm e wm. m WM 

lit ''m^'^'m^, 'WB, 

m "''■ 



* m^. 



^/. , WM. ^ , , WMi, , 



( miu.) 



26 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

The Rook radiates force at the same time 
vertically and horizontally, forward and back- 
ward, to the right and to the left, from the 
point which it occupies ; but this force ex- 
tends, in any one direction, only over con- 
secutive unoccupied points, as far as, and 
including, the last point of the board in that 
direction, or the next point that is occupied 
by another piece of either color. 

For example, in Fig. 9, the power of the 
white Rook is felt, horizontally, toward the 
right, at the points a, b, and <r, or as far as 
the limit of the board in that direction ; 
toward the left, at the points d, e, and /, the 
last of which is occupied by a '' kindred " 
piece, or a piece of the same color as the 
Rook ; vertically, forward, at the points g, 
h, and /, the last of which is occupied by an 
'^adverse" piece, or a piece of the opposite 
color; backward, at the points/, k, and /, or 
as far as the limit of the board in that direc- 
tion. It is to be noticed that the Rook 
exerts no force upon the point on which it 
stands ; and, in general, it may be remarked 
that /he power of a piece is never felt at 
the point which it occupies. For the sake 
of brevity the Rook is said to "command" 
the points a -I, upon which its force is 
radiated ; and this term will hereafter be 
employed in place of the longer and more 
explicit phrase. If you will place a Rook 
upon any point of the board, no other piece 



THE PIECES, 



27 



being present, you will find that it com- 
mands just fourteen points, no matter what 
point it occupies. When there are other 
pieces on the board, situated in such a 
manner that, as in Fig. 9, they intercept the 
radiation of force by the Rook, it com- 
mands a less number of points than four- 
teen ; this is almost always the case in the 
positions that arise in a game of chess, and 
the average number of points commanded by 
a Rook in actual play can hardly be deter- 
mined, even approximately. It is of advan- 
tage, however, to ^y. upon some magnitude 
of this sort as a means of comparing the 
relative potential values of the various pieces ; 
and we shall adopt for our purpose, in the 
instance of the Rook, the number fourteen, 
which represents the average number of 
points commanded by this piece upon a 
clear board. This number, fourteen, because 
it expresses in a manner the full power of 
the Rook, we shall call its potential com- 
plement. 

What has been said with reference to the 
radiation of force of the Rook, in Fig. 9, 
upon the points a-l, will apply in a degree 
to the method of movement of the piece, 
excepting the point/: that is, the Rook may 
be moved to any one of the points a, b, c, d^ 
^> <^j hy hj\ ^y ^) it may not be moved to /, 
however, as that point is already occupied 
by a kindred piece, but it may be moved to 



28 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

i, in which event it is said to "capture" ot 
"take" the adverse piece occupying that 
point, and that piece is removed from the 
board. It is true in general of any piece — 
except the Pawn, whose pecuharity will be 
explained later — that it may be moved to 
any point which it commands, unless that 
point is occupied by a kindred piece ; and 
if it is moved to a point that is occupied by 
an adverse piece, it captures that piece, 
which is accordingly removed from the 
board. 

The next piece to be considered is the 
Bishop, which radiates its force diagonally 
from the point which it occupies ; and, as 
in the case of the Rook, this force extends, 
in any one direction, over consecutive un- 
occupied points as far as, and including, the 
last point of the board in that direction, or 
the next point that is occupied by another 
piece of either color. 

For example, in Fig. lo, the white Bishop 
commands, in one diagonal direction, the 
points a, b, c, d, as far as the limit of the 
board ; in another diagonal direction, the 
points e,f,g, the last of which is occupied 
by an adverse piece ; in a third diagonal 
direction, the points /?, /, the latter of which 
is occupied by a kindred piece ; and, finally, 
in the fourth diagonal direction, the points 
/, k, /, as far as the limit of the board. 
From what has been already said of the 



THE PIECES. 



29 



movement of pieces to points that they com- 
mand, it is apparent that the Bishop in Fig. 
10 may be moved to any of the points a-l^ 
except the point /; and if it is moved to 
the point g, it captures the adverse piece at 
that point. 




[White.) 

If the Bishop is placed upon the board 
in the same position that it occupies in Fig. 
10, but without other pieces to intercept its 
radiations of force, it will be found to com- 
mand thirteen points, which is the greatest 
number of points that a Bishop can com- 
mand on a clear board. If it is placed at 
one of the corners of the board, or at the 



30 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

point that is called d in Fig. lo, it will be 
found to command only seven points, which 
is the least number that it can command on 
a clear board. In other positions, as you 
may determine by experiment, it will com- 
mand nine or eleven points : and the average 
number of points that it commands, taking 
into account all the sixty-four positions which 
it may occupy, will be found to be eight and 
three-fourths. This result you may verify by 
means of the appended diagram, in which 
the number of points commanded by a 
Bishop from any position is denoted by a 
numeral placed in that position,. 

Fig. II. 



7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


9 


9 


9 


9 


^ 


9 


7 


7 


9 


IT 


II 


II 


II 


9 


7 


7 


9 


II 


13 


13 II 


9 


7 


7 


9 


II 


13 


13 


II 


9 


7 


7 


9 


II 


II 


II 


II 


9 


7 


7 


9 


9 


9 


9 


9 


9 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 


7 



THE PIECES, 31 

Thus there are twenty-eight positions from 
which the Bishop commands seven points, 
twenty from which it commands nine, twelve 
from which it commands eleven, and four 
from which it commands thirteen. Now, 
multiplying the numbers of positions by the 
numbers of points commanded from the 
several positions, as follows, — 

28 X 7 = 196 
20 X ^ — t8o 
12 X II = 132 
" 4 X 13 = 52 
64 X 8f = 560, 

we find that from all the sixty- four positions 
that it may occupy on the board, the Bishop 
commands 560 points; therefore the average 
is the quotient of 560 divided by 64, or 
eight and three-fourths. That is to say, the 
potential complement of the Bishop is eight 
and three-fourths. 

We now come to the Knight, which radi- 
ates its force in the directions of obliques ; 
and as the length of an oblique (cf. Figs. 3 . 
and 7) is fixed and invariable, the magni- 
tude of the force exerted by the Knight in 
any one direction is also fixed and invaria- 
ble : that is, the Knight commands only one 
point in any one direction, that point being 
the final point of the oblique of which the 
position ot the Knight is the initial point. 



32 



THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



Fig. 12. 
(Black.) 






<^f^y/^''^' '^ 



^^ ^^^«j^«,^ fc 



( ;/^/^y/^.) 



For example, in Fig. 12, the white Knight 
commands the points a, /?, c, d, e,f, g^ h, all 
of which are the final points of obliques, 
which have, as a common initial point, the 
position occupied by the Knight. The Knight 
may be moved to any one of these points, 
except g ; and if it is moved to c, it captures 
the adverse piece there situated. It is to be 
noted, as an important quality of the Knight, 
that the radiation of its force cannot be in- 
tercepted and cut off, as the radiations of 
force of the Rook and Bishop frequently 
are, by other pieces. 

In order to obtain the potential comple- 



THE PIECES. 



33 



ment of the Knight we will make a calcula- 
tion, as we did in connection with the Bishop, 
as follows : — 

4X2=8 

8 X 3 = 24 
20 X 4 — 80 
16 X 6 = 96 
t6 X 8 r= 128 

64 X 5i == ZZ^ 

The potential complement of the Knight 
is, therefore, ^\t and one-fourth. 

Fig. 13. 



2 


3 


4 


4 


4 


4 


3 


2 


3 


4 


6 


6 


6 


6 


4 


3 


4 


6 


8 


8 


8 


8 


6 


4 


4 
4 


6 


8 


8 


8 


8 


6 


4 


6 


8 


8 


8 


8 


6 


4 


4 


6 


8 


8 


8 


8 


6 


4 


3 


4 


6 


6 


6 


6 


4 


3 


2 


3 


4 


4 


4 


4 


3 


2 



Beginners will do well in the study of the 
Knight to verify carefully, as an exercise in 
3 



34 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



the formation of obliques, all the numerals 
given in Fig. 13. 

The Queen, whose qualities we will now 
examine, is the most powerful of all the 
pieces. Its force is radiated vertically, hori- 
zontally and diagonally from the point that 
it occupies, thus combining the powers of 
the Rook and the Bishop ; and this force 
extends, in any one direction, over con- 
secutive unoccupied points as far as, and 
including, the last point of the board in that 
direction, or the next point that is occupied 
by another piece of either color. 

Fig, 14. 
{Black.) 



y///////A ^^ 
^ %& 



W$ fii WM iw 



'.ty/v//, '. 






{White.) 

For example, in Fig. 14, the white Queen 
commands the twenty-five points a-y, to any 



THE PIECES. 



35 



one of which, except b^ it may be moved ; 
if it is moved to /, it captures the adverse 
piece at that point. Since the powers of 
the Rook and the Bishop are combined in 
the Queen, the potential complement of the 
Queen is the sum of the potential comple- 



FiG. 15. 



21 


21 


21 


21 


21 


21 


. 21 


21 


21 
21 


23 


23 


23 


23 


23 


23 


21 


23 


25 


25 


25 


25 


23 


2 I 


21 


23 


25 


27 


27 


25 


23 


2 1 


21 


23 


25 


27 


27 


25 


23 


21 


21 


23 


25 


25 


25 


25 


23 


21 

2 1 


2 1 


23 




23 


23 


23 


23 


21 


21 


21 


21 


21 


21 


21 


21 



ments of the Rook and the Bishop ; that 
is, fourteen plus eight and three-fourths, or 
twenty-two and three-fourths. This result 
may be verified, as an exercise in the study 
of the Queen, in connection with Fig. 15 and 
the following calculation : — 



36 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

28 X 21 = 588 

20 X 23 = 460 

12 X 25 = 300 

4 X 27 = 108 
64 X 22f = 1456 



The King, like the Queen, radiates its 
force vertically, horizontally and diagonally, 
from the point which it occupies ; its force 
extends, however, only to directly adjacent 
points. 

Fig. 16. 
(Black.) 






W^/ W^A >^' M 



V/7/ 1 m/47/ 

i wwM 



m„ 



^'....^K...m. 



W4 T Ml i 



m 



v^"i^-W" 



i ^^ 



^ 



For example, in Fig. i6, the white King 
commands the points a-h ; to any one of 
which, except h, it may be moved, and if it 
is moved to c, it captures the adverse piece 



THE PIECES. 



37 



there situated. The potential complement 
of the King appears from the next diagram 
and the accompanying calculation : — 

Fro. 17. 



3 


S 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


3 


5 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


5 


5 


8 


8 


8 


^ v ^ 


8 


5 


5 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


5 


5 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


5 


5 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


5 


5 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


8 


5 


3 


5 


5 


5 


5 


S 


5 


3 



4X3 =12 

24 X 5 = 120 
36 X 8 r= 288 

64 X 6^6 = 420 

The potential complement of the King is, 
therefore, six and nine-sixteenths. 

The King has certain very important char- 
acteristics, fundamentally distinguishing it 
from the other pieces, which will be ex- 
plained later. 



38 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

The Pawn differs from the other pieces 
in that the direction of its force and the 
direction of its movement are not the same. 
Its force is radiated diagonally forward, and 
only to directly adjacent points, and in this 
direction it captures an adverse piece. It 
is moved, however, except in the act of 
capturing, vertically forward, and only to 
the next point in that direction, except 
when, in a game, it is first moved from its 
original position, in which event it may be 
moved either to the next point or to the 
next but one. 

For example, in Fig. i8, the white Pawn 
at the point a commands the points I? and 
c ; and being in its original position in the 
second horizontal line of the board, it may 
be moved either to d or to e. Its force 
being exerted upon the point b, it may cap- 
ture the adverse piece there situated, in 
which case it is moved to I? ; but a Pawn 
may be moved diagonally only in order to 
effect a capture. The white Pawn at / 
commands the point g, and, not being in its 
original position, it may be moved only to h ; 
it may not be moved to g, because it cannot 
effect a capture at that point. The white 
Pawn at / illustrates another peculiarity of 
the Pawn ; namely, that it may not be moved 
forward to a point that is already occupied 
by either a kindred or an adverse piece : 
that is, the white pawn at / may not be moved 



THE PIECES. 



39 



to k, but it still commands the points/ and /, 
and, by capturing the adverse piece at /, it may 
be moved to that point. Furthermore, the 
white Pawn at m, commanding the point /, 
may be moved to/ and capture the adverse 
Pawn that now occupies n, if, on the next 

Fig. i8, 

(Black,) 



m 



f 



WM WM', Wi.'^^, 1 W/M 

w Wm 4w^ kf^WM 
t\M 11 ' 




( White.) 



preceding move, the black Pawn has been 
moved two points from its original position 
at o. This sort of move is called a cap- 
ture en passant, or 'Mn passing;" for the 
black Pawn at n, in accepting the privilege 
of advancing two points from its original 
position, has passed over a point (/) which 



40 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

is commanded by the white Pawn at ;;/, and 
it is therefore made subject to capture just 
as though it had advanced only to/. The 
capture en passant must be effected, how- 
ever, on the immediately following move, or 
not at all. Finally, the white Pawn at q, 
having advanced to the limit of the board 
in its direction of movement, is said to be 
" queened ; " that is, at the instant of reach- 
ing q, it becomes a Queen^ or, at the option of 
the player, any other kindred piece, or it may 
even remain a Pawn. It is extremely sel- 
dom, however, that a player, in queening a 
Pawn, makes choice of any other than the 
most powerful piece. These various charac- 
teristics of the Pawn render it probably the 
most difficult piece for a novice in the game 
to comprehend ; and we may say, without 
too great anticipation of our subject, that 
the correct methods of playing the Pawns, 
although these are of the highest importance, 
are only partially understood, even by many 
strong and experienced players. If the 
Pawns are ^^ the soul of chess," as they are 
said to be by most chess writers, it is to be 
hoped that you may learn from this book 
something more of their psychology than is 
commonly taught, or, indeed, more than is 
commonly known. 

It remains to calculate the potential com- 
plement of the Pawn, which will appear from 
the following diagram, in which the numerals 



THE PIECES. 



41 



are omitted from the first horizontal, because 
the Pawns do not occupy that Hne of the 
board. 

Fig. 19 



o o o o|o o o 

I 

i 

1 2 2 2 2J2.2 I 

I 2 2 2 2 2 21 

I 2 2 2 2I22 I 

I 2 2 2 222 I 

I 2 2 2 212 2 I 

_i^ 

12222221 



8X0 = 

12 X I —12 

36 X 2 =72 

l6 X li :=~84 

The potential complement of the Pawn 
is, therefore, one and one-half. 



THE GAME. 

\/0U are now acquainted with the chief 
details of the machinery of chess, and 
we will next see with what purpose and in 
what manner this machinery is to be used 
in the playing of a game. It has already 
been stated that the King has character- 
istics which distinguish it from all the other 
pieces ; the chief of these peculiarities, 
broadly expressed, is that // cannot be 
captured, and it is in this quality of the royal 
piece that the aim and purpose of the game 
reside. In a word, what you attempt to do 
in a game of chess is to force the adverse 
King into such a position that, being di- 
rectly attacked, it cannot escape. If you 
succeed in doing this, you effect, not the 
actual capture, but what is called the ^^check- 
mate " of the adverse King, and thereby win 
the game. A very simple example of check- 
mate is given in the next diagram (Fig. 20). 
The white Rook in this position has been 
so moved as to radiate its force horizontally 
upon the black King, and there is no means 
of sheltering the black King from the as- 
sault. It cannot be moved to any of the 



I 



THE GAME, 



43 



three adjacent points occupied by kindred 
Pawns, and if it were moved to either of 
the two adjacent points in the same hori- 
zontal with the Rook, it would still be subject 
to the force of that piece. In this diagram 
it will be noticed that the white King is on 



Fig. 20. 
(Black.) 



^ » M « 



\, White.) 

the board, although it takes no part in the 
checkmate; in every chess position, indeed, 
both Kings must be present, as neither can 
be removed from the board by capture. 

You will bear in mind the purpose of a 
game of chess, — namely, checkmate, — not 
solely as its ultimate object, nor as an ex- 
ternal feature of the process, but particu- 



44 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

larly as a matter of deep principle, which 
shall govern the whole plan of your opera- 
tions in play. The simple, direct, and 
properly conducted attack of the adverse 
King's position, by which is meant the point 
occupied by the adverse King, together with 
the immediately adjacent points, is the highest 
order of chess play. So fundamentally im- 
portant, indeed, is the idea of regarding this 
position as the one essential object toward 
which your force should be directed, that we 
find it worth while to bestow a specific desig- 
nation upon it. We shall say, therefore, 
that — 

The point occupied by the adverse King, 
together with the adjacent points, consti- 
tutes the objective plane, the control of 
which is the aim and purpose of a game 
of chess. 

At the beginning of a game the white and 
the black pieces are placed in exactly similar 
situations on opposite sides of the board, as 
shown in Fig. 21. 

As an aid to your memory in setting up 
the pieces, you will notice that when you 
are playing the white pieces your King is 
on the right hand of your Queen, and when 
you are playing the black pieces the King 
is on the left ; the white Queen occupies a 
point in a white square, and the black Queen 
a point in a black square, — a circumstance 
that is commonly expressed by the saying, 



THE GAME, 



45 



'^ Queens stand on their own colors." If 
you conceive the board to be divided into 
two equal parts by the vertical line that ex- 
tends across it between the Kings and the 
Queens, that side upon which the Kings are 

Fig. 21. 

[Black.) 



»u«#«*ii 



f«lf«i|HlI« 









f White.) 



situated is called the King's side, and that 
upon which the Queens are situated is called 
the Queen's side ; if you are playing the 
white pieces the King's side is at your right 
hand, and the Queen's side at your left ; and 
if you are playing the black pieces the King's 
side is at your left, and the Queen's side at 
your right. 



4-6 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS, 

The terms ^^ King's wing " and '^ Queen's 
wing " are applied to those portions of the 
King's side and the Queen's side, respec- 
tively, which, at the beginning of the game, 
are occupied by pieces. The pieces on the 
King's wing are called the King's pieces, and 
those on the Queen's wing are called the 
Queen's pieces. Thus, the Bishop that 
stands adjacent to the King is the King's 
Bishop ; the next piece is the King's Knight, 
and the last on that wing is the King's Rook. 
On the Queen's wing, in the same way, 
the pieces are the Queen's Bishop, the 
Queen's Knight, and the Queen's Rook. 
The Pawns are designated according to the 
pieces in front of which they stand. In 
order from left to right in the case of the 
white Pawns, and from right to left in the 
case of the black Pawns, their names are : 
the Queen's Rook's Pawn, the Queen's 
Knight's Pawn, the. Queen's Bishop's Pawn, 
the Queen's Pawn, the King's Pawn, the 
King's Bishop's Pawn, the King's Knight's 
Pawn, and the King's Rook's Pawn. The 
first three of these are called the Queen's 
wing Pawns ; the last three, the King's wing 
Pawns. 



NOTATION. 

Al TE adopt the method of chess notation 
^ ^ that is generally employed in the 
English literature of the game. The abbrevi- 
ations used are the initial letters (capitalized) 
of the names of the pieces, except with 
the Knight, whose terminal letter is added 
to distinguish it from the abbreviation mean- 
ing the King. We have, then, the following: 

K = King. 

Q = Queen. 

R = Rook ; K R = King's Rook ; Q R = 
Queen's Rook. 

B = Bishop; KB = King's Bishop; QB = 
Queen's Bishop. 

Kt = Knight ; K Kt = King's Knight ; Q Kt 
~ Queen's Knight. 

P = Pawn ; K P = King's Pawn ; Q P = 
Queen's Pawn; K R P = King's Rook's Pawn; 
Q R P = Queen's Rook's Pawn ; K B P = King's 
Bishop's Pawn ; Q B P = Queen's Bishop's 
Pawn ; K Kt P = King's Knight^s Pawn ; Q Kt P 
= Queen's Knight's Pawn ; R P = Rook's Pawn ; 
B P =: Bishop's Pawn ; Kt P = Knight's Pawn. 

The points of the board take their desig- 
nations from the original positions of the 



48 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS. 

pieces : thus, for example, the point origi- 
nally occupied by the King is called the 
King's first point, or, simply, the King's 
first, which, abbreviated, is written K i ; the 
next point vertically forward is the King's 
second, or K2 ; and so on to the limit of 
the board, the last point being the King's 
eighth, or K8. These numerals are reckoned 
from either side of the board, according as 
you are playing the white pieces or the black 
pieces; the white King's first point, or Ki, 
is the black King's eighth point, or K 8 ; 
the white K2 is the black K7, the white K3 
is the black K6, and so on. From this 
explanation you will be able to understand 
the diagram on page 49, the inverted charac- 
ters being the names of the points as em- 
ployed by the player of the black pieces, 
and the characters in their natural positions 
the names of the points as employed by the 
player of the white pieces. 

For the sake of brevity the player of the 
white pieces is called White ; and the player 
of the black pieces. Black. In all diagrams 
representing positions that occur in a game 
the lower portion is White's side of the board, 
and the upper position Black's side. 

The verticals are named, according to the 
pieces that occupy their initial points, the 
QR's vertical, the QKt's vertical, the QB's 
vertical, the Q's vertical, the K's vertical, the 
KB's vertical, the KKt's vertical, and the 



NOTATION. 



49 



KR's vertical. The diagonals that originate 
in the first horizontal are named, according 
to the pieces that occupy their initial points 
and according to their lengths, the QR's 
diagonal, the Q Kt's major and minor diago- 









Fig. 22. 








QR8 


QKt8 


QB8 


Q8 


K8 


KB8 

ia:M 


KKt8 


KR8 


QR7 


QKt7 


QB7 


Q7 


K7 


KB7 


KKt7 


KR7 


QR6 


QKt6 


QB6 


Q6 

^0 


K6 


KB6 

^a:>[ 


KKt6 


KR6 


QR5 


QKts 


QB5 


Q5 


K5 


KB5 
^a:» 


KKt5 


KR5 


QR4 
5hD 


QKt4 


QB4 
Sao 


Q4 

SO 


K4 


KB4 
^a:s 


KKt4 


KR4 


QR3 
9HD 


QKt3 

9^:hO 


QB3 
9aD 


Q3 

9D 


K3 

9:h 


KB3 
9aH 


KKt3 

9i:a:a 


KR3 
9^:h 


QR2 


QKt2 


QB2 
^aD 




K2 


KB2 
^a:s 


KKt2 


KR2 


QRi 
8HD 


QKti 

8i:hD 


QBi 

8aD 


Qt 

8D 


Ki 

8:m 


KBt 

8a:a 


KKti 


KRi 

8h:m 



{W/ute.) 

nals (that from Q Kt i to QR2 being the 
QKt's minor, and that from QKt i to KR 7 
the QKt's major, diagonal), the QB's major 
and minor diagonals, and so on. It will be 
noticed that the verticals have the same 
designations for both players, that the QR's 



50 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

diagonal of one player is the KR's diagonal 
of the other player, and that the remaining 
diagonals take their names, half from White's 
side and half from Black's side of the board. 
In recording a move the dash ( - ) is 
used in the sense of " is moved to " ; the 
name of the piece moved is placed before 
the dash, and the name of the point to 
which it is moved is placed after it ; thus, 
KB - QB4 means that the King's Bishop 
is moved to the Queen's Bishop's fourth 
point. When a piece captures another, how- 
ever, the point to which the former is moved 
is not given ; instead, the names of the two 
pieces are written, with the abbreviation x 
(meaning '^captures " or " takes ") between 
them; thus KKt X KP means that the 
King's Knight captures the adverse King's 
Pawn. Other abbreviations and technical 
terms will be explained as occasions for their 
use arise in the accompanying illustrative 
games. 



THE NORMAL POSITION. 

13 E FORE playing over the illustrative 
^^ games you should make a minute and 
careful study of the original position, or, as 
it is technically termed, the '' normal " posi- 
tion of the pieces (Fig. 21). Here, it will 
be noticed, only the Pawns and the Knights 
can be moved. The lines of movement of 
all the other pieces are intercepted by the 
adjacent pieces. The Rook, for example, 
whose direction of movement is vertical 
or horizontal, cannot be moved forward, 
on account of the Pawn that occupies the 
next point in front of it ; nor laterally, on 
account of the Knight that occupies the 
next point in that direction. The radiation 
of force by the Rook extends to the points 
occupied by the adjacent Pawn and Knight, 
but no further. The Rook in this position 
is said to '^ defend " both the Pawn and the 
Knight. No adverse force, to be sure, is 
radiated against the Pawn and the Knight, 
— that is, to use the technical expression, 
they are not '' attacked ; " and at first sight 
it would seem that a piece which is not at- 
tacked cannot be defended ; nevertheless, it 



52 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

is necessary to regard the Pawn and the 
Knight in this position, — and, as well, the 
points occupied by those pieces, — as de- 
fended by the force of the Rook against any 
further or contingent attack of an adverse 
force. For this reason the two components 
of the force radiated by the Rook — the one 
from R I to Kt I and the other from R i 
to R 2 — are called radii of defence. 

If you will now examine the positions of 
the Rooks, the Bishops, the Queens, and the 
Kings in detail, recalling what you have 
learned concerning their radiations of force 
and their methods of movement, you will 
find : — 

{a) QR commands the points QR2 and 
QKt I, but cannot be moved to either of 
them, because they are occupied by kindred 
pieces; QR defends QRP and QKt; QR 
operates radii of defence from QR i to 
QKt I and QR 2. 

{b) KR commands the points KR2 and 
KKt I, but cannot be moved to either of 
them, because they are occupied by kindred 
pieces; KR defends KRP and KKt; KR 
operates radii of defence from KR i to 
KKt I and KR2. 

{c) QB commands the points QKt 2 and 
Q 2, but cannot be moved to either of them, 
because they are occupied by kindred pieces ; 
QB defends QKtP and QP; QB operates 
radii of defence from QB i to Q Kt 2 and 

Q2. 



THE NORMAL POSITION. 53 

(^) KB commands the points KKt 2 and 
K 2, but cannot be moved to either of them, 
because they are occupied by kindred pieces ; 
KB defends KKtP and KP; KB operates 
radii of defence from KB i to KKt 2 and 
K2. 

(<f) Q commands the points QB i, QB 2, 
Q 2, K 2, and K i, but cannot be moved to 
any of them, because they are occupied by 
kindred pieces; Q defends QB, QBP, QP, 
and KP (but Q is not said to defend K, be- 
cause the latter piece cannot be captured) ; 
Q operates radii of defence from Q i to 
QB I, QB 2, Q 2, K 2, and K i. 

(/) K commands the points Q i, Q 2, K 2, 
KB 2, and KB i, but cannot be moved to 
any of them, because they are occupied by 
kindred pieces; K defends Q, QP, KP, 
KBP, and KB; K operates radii of defence 
from K I to Q I, Q 2, K 2, KB 2 and KB i. 

With reference to the Knight, it has already 
been stated that the radiations of its force 
cannot be intercepted by other pieces ; this 
truth will be clearly apparent from an ex- 
amination of the normal position. If 
obliques be drawn from QKt i as an initial 
point, their terminal points will be QR3, 
QB3, and Q 2, and between their extremi- 
ties they do not pass through any other 
points, occupied or unoccupied by pieces : 
for example, the oblique drawn from QKt i 
to QR3 passes between QKt 2 and QRi, 



54 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

but through neither of them ; it also passes 
between QKt 2 and QR 2, but through nei- 
ther of them. But, as the force of QKt is 
radiated along these obliques, from Q Kt i 
to QR3, QB3, and Q2, it appears that 
this piece commands the points QR 3, QB 3, 
and Q2, and defends QP; also, as its line 
of movement is an obhque, QKt may be 
moved to QR 3 or QB3, but not to Q 2, 
because the last-named point is occupied by 
a kindred piece. The powers of KKt are 
precisely similar to those of QKt, and thus 
we may add to the notes upon the pieces 
that we have already given : — 

{g) QKt commands the points QR3, 
QB 3, and Q 2, and can be moved to QR 3 
or QB3, but not to Q 2, because Q 2 is 
occupied by a kindred piece; QKt defends 
Q P ; Q Kt operates radii of defence from 
QKt I to QR3, QB3, and Q2. 

{Ji) K Kt commands the points K R 3, 
KB 3, and K 2, and can be moved to KR3 
or KB 3, but not to K 2, because K 2 is oc- 
cupied by a kindred piece; KKt defends 
K P ; K Kt operates radii of defence from 
KKt I to KR3, KB 3, and K 2. 

The Pawn, as we have seen, is moved ver- 
tically forward to the next point, or, from its 
normal position, to the next point but one ; 
its force, however, is radiated diagonally for- 
ward to the adjacent diagonal point or points ; 
thus, for example, KP is moved either to K 3 



THE NORMAL POSITION 55 

or to K 4, and it commands Q 3 and KB 3. 
In detail, the functions of all the Pawns in 
their normal positions are as follows : — 

(/) QRP commands the point QKt3, 
and can be moved to QR3 or QR4; it 
defends no piece; QRP operates a radius 
of defence from QR2 to QKt3. 

(J) QKtP commands the points QR3 
and QB3, and can be moved to QKt3 
or Q Kt 4 ; it defends no piece ; Q Kt P 
operates radii of defence from Q Kt 2 to 
QR3 and QB3. 

{k) QBP commands the points QKt3 
and Q3, and can be moved to QB3 or 
QB4; it defends no piece; QBP operates 
radii of defence from QB2 to QKt3 and 

(/) QP commands the points QB3 and 
K 3, and can be moved to Q3 or Q4; it 
defends no piece ; QP operates radii of de- 
fence from Q 2 to QB 3 and K 3. 

(;;/) KP commands the points Q3 and 
KB 3, and can be moved to K3 or K4; it 
defends no piece ; K P operates radii of de- 
fence from K 2 to Q 3 and KB 3. 

(;^) KBP commands the points K3 and 
KKt3, and can be moved to KB 3 or KB 4 ; 
it defends no piece; KBP operates radii of, 
defence from KB 2 to K3 and KKt3. 

((?) KKtP commands the points KB 3 
and KR3, and can be moved to KKt 3 or 
KKt4; it defends no piece; KKtP oper- 



56 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

ates radii of defence from KKt 2 to KB 3 
and KR3. 

(/) KRP commands the point KKt 3, 
and can be moved to KR3 or KR4; it 
defends no piece; KRP operates a radius 
of defence from KR2 to KKt 3. 

In the normal position the objective plane 
(cf. p. 42) consists of the points K8 (occu- 
pied by the adverse King), Q 8, Q 7 K 7, 
KB 7, and K B 8. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 

A 1 T'E are now prepared to examine a speci- 
men of actual play, for which a short 
game won by the illustrious Paul Morphy 
has been selected. The white pieces in this 
game were played by Mr. Morphy, and the 
black pieces by two amateurs, the Duke of 
Brunswick and Count Isouard, consulting. 
You are asked to pay the closest attention to 
the notes appended to the several moves, as 
they contain much information that has not 
previously been given, particularly concerning 
the characteristics of the King ; and to use the 
board and men, not only in playing over the 
actual moves of the game, but also in testing 
the moves suggested by the notes. White's 
moves are printed at the left, and Black's 
moves at the right of the page. 

White (Mr Morphy). Black { The Allies). 

1. KP-K4. The King's Pawn is ad- 
vanced two steps. This is the usual and 
best first move for White. It releases Q and 
K B, and gains command of points by means 
of those pieces and the advanced P. The 
force now radiated by Q along the Q's major 



58 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

diagonal from Q i to KR 5, since it extendi 
into the adversary's side of the board and 
commands a point tliere situated, is attacking 
or offensive in nature, and is called a radius 
of offence. Similarly, a radius of offence is 
created, by the action of KB, along the 
KB's major diagonal, from KBi to QR6. 
K P, too, operates radii of offence, from K 4 to 
Q5 and KB 5, The points commanded by 
the white pieces, in addition to those which 
were commanded in the normal position, 
before the advance of K P, are KKt4,KR5, 
QB4,QKt5,QR6, Q5,andKB5. Instead 
of playing KP to K4 for his initial move, 
White may less advantageously play Q P to 
Q 4 ; all other initial moves are much infe- 
rior to these two. The student will observe 
that, as the direction of movement of the 
Fs is forward, the advance of a P cannot be 
retraced. This is an important fact to bear in 
mind. If an error is made in the movement 
of any other piece, it may, perhaps, be re- 
trieved ; but you cannot take back a P move, 
1. KP -K4. The 
King's Pawn is advanced two steps. By 
this move Black gains for himself the same 
advantages that White gained by the cor- 
responding move on his side of the board. 
Black may less advantageously play K P - K 3. 
• 2. KKt-KB3. The King's Knight is 
moved to the King's Bishop's third point. 
By this move White directly attacks an ad- 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 59 

verse piece, the black K P. K Kt now inter- 
cepts the radius of offence created for Q by 
White's first move, but itself operates two 
new radii of offence, — from K B 3 to K Kt 5 
and K5, and six new radii of defence, — from 
KB3 to Ki, Q2, Q4, KR4, KR2, and 
KKt I. For his next move White may play, 
if he is not prevented, K Kt X K P ; /. e., may 
move KKt to K5, capturing the adverse 
KP, which is not now defended. A piece 
situated like Black's K P, so that it may be 
captured by an adverse piece, is said to be 
en prise. White's second move is generally 
considered his strongest, after the initial 
move of KP - K4, and the authors are dis- 
posed to concur in this opinion ; but K B - 
QB4 is also excellent, as, being thus moved, 
KB at once operates a radius of offence 
against KB 7, a point in the objective plane. 
Another commonly practised second move is 
KBP - KB4, but we do not recommend it. 
The student will observe that K Kt is moved, 
on White's second move, from a black square 
to a white square ; and it is evident, in gen- 
eral, that the move of a Kt is always to 
a square opposite in color to that from which 
it is moved. 

2. QP - Q3. The 
Queen's Pawn is advanced one step. Black 
thus defends KP against the attack of the 
adverse K Kt. Q P operates a radius of de- 
fence from Q3 to K4, and if White should 



6o THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

play KKt X K P, Black would reply with 
Q P X K Kt. White cannot, however, afford 
this exchange ; a Kt is intrinsically worth 
more than a P, and in general the gain 
of a P does not offset the loss of a Kt. 
It may, indeed, be stated that, as a rule, 
the exchange of a piece for an adverse piece 
of less potential value, or whose potential 
complement is less, is disadvantageous (cf. 
p. 27). Nevertheless, exceptions to this 
rule are constantly arising, when, by tempo- 
rary loss, or, as it is said, by ** sacrifice of 
material," the player is enabled to secure 
for himself still greater gain, and even the 
greatest of all gains in- chess, the checkmate 
of the adverse K. Splendid examples of 
this sort of sacrifice occur in the present 
game. Of the merits of Black's second 
move it may be said that, while it releases 
QB, and thus creates a radius of offence 
along the QB's major diagonal, it simulta- 
neously intercepts the radius of offence 
already operated by KB. A better move 
here is QKt - QB3. 

3. QP - Q4. The Queen's Pawn is ad- 
vanced two steps. White attacks the adverse 
KP with still another piece ; he now threatens 
to play QP X KP, and then, if Black replies 
with QP X P, to continue with KKt x P, 
thus winning two Ps for one. Moreover, by 
this advance of QP White creates a radius 
of offence by means of QB along the QB's 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 6 1 

major diagonal without intercepting the radius 
of offence already operated by KB. 

3. QB - KKt5. The 
Queen's Bishop is moved to the King's 
Knight's fifth point. This is not a good 
move. It is intended indirectly to defend 
KP, but instead of attempting to support 
that piece any longer, Black should ex- 
change KP for the adverse QP, by play- 
ing KP X QP, to which White might 
reply with either KKt X P or Q x P. 
The way in which Black hoped to defend 
KP by this move of QB is explained by the 
next two moves on both sides ; and that the 
method was faulty is proved by White's play 
and the advantage that he speedily gained. 
It should be stated here as a principle of 
play that the move of QB - KKt^, after 
the adverse KKt has been posted at K B t,, 
is seldom profitable. The sole object of the 
move is usually to prevent the adverse KKt 
from being moved, for which purpose it is 
adequate, inasmuch as QB would capture Q 
if the adverse K Kt were moved ; this play is 
called '-pinning" the adverse KKt; it is 
disadvantageous, however, because, in order 
to render a Kt inactive, a piece of greater 
potential value (a B) is employed, and, in- 
deed, the natural consequence of the play is 
the subsequent exchange of B for Kt, which 
is still more unprofitable than the " pinning " 
process. It is particularly unwise thus to 



62 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

give up B for Kt when both Bs are on the 
board, for the two Bs in combi7iation are 
very powerful for attack and defeitce^ and 
they should be retained as long as feasible. 
Two more principles may be laid down with 
reference to the B : first, KB is 7?iore valu- 
able tha7i QB in the openi7ig of a game, be- 
cause KB may operate a radius of offence 
against the point occupied by the adverse K, 
whereas QB cannot, as it operates radii of 
offence only through squares that are oppo- 
site in color to the adverse K's square ; and, 
secondly, a si7tgle B is less valuable tha7i a. 
si7tgle Kt in the endi7tg of a ga77ie, when but 
few other pieces besides the Ps remain on the 
board, because a Kt may attack Ps on squares 
of either color, whereas a B can attack Ps 
only on squares of one color. With refer- 
ence to the moves of a B, it should be no- 
ticed that this piece always moves through 
squares of the same color ; the white K B 
and the black QB move through white 
squares, and the white QB and the black 
KB through black squares. 

4. QP X KP. The Queen's Pawn is moved 
\o the King's fifth point, capturing the ad- 
verse King's Pawn^ which is now removed 
from the board. This move . forces Black to 
capture KKt with QB as the only means of 
regaining the P that White has taken. 

4. QB X KKt. The 
Queen's Bishop is moved to the King's 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 63 

Bishop's sixth point, capturing the adverse 
King's Knight, which is now removed from 
the board. If, instead of doing this, Black 
plays QP X P, White cannot immediately 
capture P with KKt, for he would then 
suffer checkmate (see remarks below) ; but 
first he plays Q X Q, to which Black must 
at once reply with K X Q, and then White 
goes on with KKt X P, having won a P. 
The reason why, if White here plays Q X Q, 
Black must at once reply with K X Q, 
resides in the fundamental law of chess 
that when K is stcbjected to the operation 
of a radius of offence, or, in technical lan- 
guage, is placed in check, it must on the 
following move be removed from check, ij 
possible. If it cannot be removed from 
check, then, as already stated (cf. p. 42), K 
suffers checkmate, and the game is at an 
end. In the position that is now under con- 
sideration, the white Q operates a radius of 
offence against the black K ; that is, gives 
check to, or, in one word, checks, the black 
K. K cannot escape the force of Q by 
being moved to K 2 or Q 2, for the force of 
Q is radiated against these points as well as 
against that which is occupied by K ; nor is 
there any way of averting the check other 
than by the capture of Q by K, which, 
therefore, is obligatory. In some positions 
of check there is a third method of averting 
check, besides the movmg of K or the cap- 



64 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

ture of the adverse checking piece ; namely, 
the interception of the adverse radius of 
offence by the interposition of a kindred 
piece between the checking piece and K. 
An example of such interposition occurs at 
the eleventh move of the present game. 

5. Q X QB. The Queen is moved to the 
King's Bishop's third point, capturing the 
adverse Queen's Bishop, which is now re- 
moved from the board. White is compelled 
to make this capture, either with Q or with 
KKtP, in order to avoid loss; for, if he 
were to play otherwise. Black could withdraw 
QB to a place of safety, having gained a Kt 
in exchange for a P. By effecting the cap- 
ture with Q, White creates a radius of offence 
along the K B's vertical, against K B 7, a 
point in the objective plane. 

5. QP X P. The 
Queen's Pawn is moved to the King's fourth 
point, capturing the adverse Pawn there situ- 
ated, which is now removed from the board. 
Black has made good the loss of material 
that he suffered by White's fourth move, but 
the integrity of his position is seriously im- 
paired, as White's next move will show. 

6. KB - QB4. The King's Bishop is 
moved to the Queen's Bishop's fourth point. 
White thus creates a second radius of offence 
against KB 7, and threatens Black with check- 
mate on the following move ; for, unless 
Black does something to prevent it. White 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 65 

will play Q X KBP, giving check (or, as it 
is technically expressed, using the abbrevia- 
tion ^^ch" for ^^ giving check," Q X KBP 
ch), and the black K cannot escape. The 
position will repay careful study. Suppose 
that White at once makes another move, Q X 
KBP, by which the black K is exposed to 
the force of the white Q ; K cannot now be 
moved to K2 or Q2, because those points, 
too, are commanded by the white Q ; nor 
can it be moved to KB 2, capturing Q, be- 
cause the point K B 2 is commanded by the 
white KB. Never, indeed, as a little thought 
will convince you, can K capture a defended 
piece, such as the white Q is in this position ; 
and it will be apparent also, from considera- 
tion of the law of check that was stated in 
the note on Black's fourth move, that a 
player, when it is his turn to move, cannot 
expose his K to check. 

6. KKt - KB3. The 
King's Knight is moved to the King's 
Bishop's third point. Black thus averts the 
threatened checkmate, by intercepting the 
radius of offence of the adverse Q. He has 
several means of escape, all of which should 
be examined. First, there is KKt - KR3, 
which would enable him to reply with KKt 
X Q if White should play Q X KBP ch ; 
but this is bad, because White would first 
play QB X KKt, and Black could not 
then regain the piece by KKtP x QB 



66 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

without suffering checkmate by Q X KBP ch. 
For the sake of brevity this variation from 
the actual play is expressed as follows, 
the comma (,) after a move denoting that 
it is made by White, and the semi-colon ( ; ) 
that is made by Black : If 6. KKt - KR3 ; 
7. QB X KKt, KKtP X QB; 8. Q X 
KBP ch, giving checkmate. The nota-> 
tion that expresses . ^' ch, giving check- 
mate," is simply ^^ mate," so that the last 
move should be written 8. Q X KBP 
mate. In the second place, Black might 
play KKt- K2, which would lead to the 
following variation : If 6. KKt - K2 ; 7. Q X 
KBP ch, K - Q2 ; and, besides having suf- 
fered the loss of KBP, Black's K is so ex- 
posed to the attack of the adverse forces that 
the loss of the game cannot be long deferred. 
Thirdly, if 6. KB - K2 ; 7. Q X KBP ch, 
K ~ Q 2 ; and again Black must lose the 
game. Fourthly, if 6. KBP - KB3; 7. Q 
- QKt3, KKt - K2 (in order to avoid the 
loss ofa piece by 8. KB X KKt, KRxKB; 
9. Q X KR) ; 8. KB - KB7 ch,K - Q2 ; 

9. Q - K6 mate. Or if, in this variation, 
7. KKt - KR3; 8. QB X KKt, KKtP x 
QB; 9. KB- KB 7 ch, K - K2 or Q2; 

10. Q-K6 mate. Fifthly, if 6. KBP - 
KB4; White continues exactly as in the 
fourth variation, by 7. Q - QKt3, etc. 
Sixthly, if 6. K - K2; 7. Q X KBP ch, 
K-Q3; 8. Q - K6 ch, K - QB4; and 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES, 6/ 

Black can delay the checkmate only for a 
few moves. Seventhly, if6.K-Q2; 7.Q 
X K B P ch, with a superiority m position and 
material that must speedily win. Eighthly, if 

6. Q - Q7 or Q8 ch; or 6. Q - Q 4, Q6 or 
KKt4 ; Black sacrifices Q to no purpose ex- 
cept to give K an opportunity to be moved 
out of check. Ninthly, if 6. Q - KB 3, K 2 
or Q2 ; White gets an attack similar to that 
which he secures in the game as it is actually 
played, although Black avoids immediate loss. 
Lastly, if 6. Q-Q3, Q5, QBi or KR5; 

7. Q X KBP ch, etc. By no other sixth 
move than those suggested in these varia- 
tions can Black escape checkmate on the 
following move. Black's best move of all, 
however, was 6. Q-Q2; and, if 7. Q - 
QKt3, QBP - QB3; but even then White 
had an attack that could not successfully be 
resisted. 

7. Q - QKt3. The Queen is moved from 
the King's Bishop's third point to the Queen's 
Knight's third point. A radius of offence 
is created against QKt7, and the adverse 
QKtP is threatened with capture by Q. A 
double radius of offence is simultaneously 
created against KB 7, and checkmate is again 
threatened by 8. KB X K B P ch, K - K 2 or 
Q2 ; 9. Q ~ K6 mate. 

7. Q - K2. The 
Queen is moved to the King's second point. 
Black cannot prevent both the checkmate 



68 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

and the loss of either Q Kt P or K B P, 
and of course he must defend himself against 
the greater menace. He has several means 
of avoiding checkmate, besides the one 
adopted, which the student should endeavor 
to find and examine in the manner exempli- 
fied in the note on Black's sixth move ; but 
the move actually made is his best. The 
black Q now operates a radius of defence in 
support of KB 2, and also a radius of offence 
against QKt5. 

8. QKt-QB3. The Queen's Knight is 
moved to the Queen's Bishop's third point. 
White may also play 8. Q X QKtP, but then 
Black would go on with 8. Q - QKt5 ch ; 
and White would be compelled to answer 
9. Q X Q, for if he removed the check in 
any other way Black would capture Q with Q. 
The probable continuation after 8. Q X 
QKtP, would therefore be 8. Q - QKts 
ch; 9. Q X Q, KB X Qch; 10. QB- Q 2, 
KBxQBch; II. QKtX KB, and although 
White has gained a P, the exchange of so 
many pieces has left him without sufficient 
force to win speedily. By bringing out QKt, 
on the other hand. White creates radii of 
offence against QKt 5 and Q5, and a radius 
of defence in support of K4 and KP; and 
still threatens to capture the adverse Q Kt P 
with Q. 

8. QBP - QB3. The 
Queen's Bishop's Pawn is advanced one step. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 69 

The black Q is hereby made to operate a 
radius of defence in support of QKtP. 
Black cannot now permit the capture of 
QKtP and then play Q - QKt5, because he 
would not give check, and White would be 
able to capture QR with Q : e,g,, if 8. QKt 
- Q2; 9. Q X QKtP, Q- QKts; 10. 
Q X QR ch, securing the clear gain of a 
valuable piece, an advantage that will quickly 
decide the game in White's favor. 

9. QB-KKt5. The Queen's Bishop is 
moved to the King's Knight's fifth point. It 
was stated in the note on Black's third move 
that this play of Q B is seldom profitable for 
either White or Black ; but in this instance, 
with the attack in hand, White contemplates 
the rapid concentration of his forces against 
the objective plane, with the ultimate crea- 
tion, if possible, of a radius of offence by 
means of QB, along the adverse Q's major 
diagonal, against K 7 and Q 8. The black 
forces are already badly hampered, and K, 
particularly, is so confined that the location 
of the objective plane cannot readily be 
changed ; so that every radius of offence 
which White now creates in the direction 
of the objective plane becomes more than 
ordinarily dangerous to Black. 

9. QKtP - QKt4. The 
Queen's Knight's Pawn is advanced two 
steps. Black hopes by this sally to drive 
back the adverse KB, which is threatened 
with capture by QKtP, 



70 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

10. QKt X QKtP. The Queen's Knight 
is moved from the Queen's Bishop's third 
point to the Queen's Knight's fifth point, 
capturing the adverse Queen's Knight's Pawn, 
which is removed from the board. This 
move and all the moves of White that fol- 
low, to the end of the game, form what is 
called a ^^combination," the ultimate result 
of which was more or less exactly seen by 
Mr. Morphy when he sacrificed QKt (cf. 
note on Black's second move). 

10. QBP X QKt. 
The Queen's Bishop's Pawn is moved to the 
Queen's Knight's fourth point, capturing the 
adverse Queen's Knight, which is removed 
from the board. Black can do nothing 
better ; he has lost a P, and with so inferior 
a position he must at all hazards recover 
his material. 

11. KB X QKtP ch. The King's Bishop 
is moved from the Queen's Bishop's fourth 
point to the Queen's Knight's fifth point, 
capturing the Pawn there situated and giv- 
ing check. For the first time in the game 
a radius of offence is created directly against 
the adverse K. On his next move Black is 
obliged to remove the check, if it is possible 
to do so. 

11. QKt- Q2. The 
Queen's Knight is moved to the Queen's 
second point. Black thus ^* interposes" a 
piece (cf. note on Black's fourth move), so 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 7 1 

as to intercept the radius of offence of the 
adverse KB. He may also interpose KKt 
or Q at Q 2 ; but then, in either event, he 
suffers the loss of Q. The only other way 
of removing the check is by moving K to 
Qi. If Black had done this, White's reply 
would have been as in the text. 

12. Castles (QR). The King is moved to 
the Queen's Bishop's first point, and the 
Queen's Rook to the Queen's first point. 
This is a manoeuvre that requires careful ex- 
planation. Once during a game, when K 
occupies Ki, and KR occupies KRi, the two 
intervening points bei?ig unoccupied, K 7nay be 
moved two steps to K Kti, and KR to KB i ; 
this is called castling on the Ks side, or cas- 
tling with KR, and the notation for the move 
is " Castles (KR) ; " or, // j^ occupies K\, 
and QR occupies QRi, the three intei'vening 
points being unoccupied, K may be moved two 
steps to QB I, and QR to Qi ; this is called 
castling on the Q's side, or castling with Q R, 
and the notation for the move is " Castles 
(QR)." But the play cannot be effected 
if either K or R has been moved at any pre- 
vious time during the game ; nor if K is in 
check ; nor if one of the points between K i 
and R I is commanded by an adverse piece. 
Castling is a privilege, the objects of which 
are to shelter K behind kindred pieces, out 
of the way of attack by the adversary, and 
to bring R into active co-operation with the 



72 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Other kindred pieces ; the privilege should not 
be neglected, but should be exercised as early 
as practicable in the game. The player who, 
by stress of an adverse attack, is prevented 
from castling, generally loses the game ; and 
the player who long delays the manoeu- 
vre generally runs a serious risk of being 
unable to execute it at all. It is frequently 
better to castle (KR) than to castle (QR). 
In the present game, however, being able to 
castle on either side. White wisely chooses 
the Q's side, inasmuch as by so doing he at 
once creates a radius of offence against Q 7, 
augmenting the force that he has already di- 
rected against the objective plane. The ex- 
traordinarily rapid and powerful development 
of the white forces, and their concentration 
against the objective plane, are the most 
instructive feature of this game ; every move 
made by Mr. Morphy is the very best that 
can be made, and his play throughout should 
be exhaustively studied by the learner, and 
accepted as a chess model of the highest 
order. A diagram of the position after 
White's twelfth move is appended : — 

12. QR - Ql. The 
Queen's Rook is moved to the Queen's first 
point. Black has to defend QKt, for White 
by his last move threatened QR X QKt, and 
Black could not in return capture QR with 
KKt or Q, except at the cost of Q. Black 
may effect the defence of QKt by 12, Castles 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 



n 



Fig. 23. 
(Black) The Allies. 



m, J^/i 'WB. 



■ ■ a ■ i 



mkm %m i fil 



[White) Mr. Morphy. 

(QR) ; but in that case he would be check- 
mated m two moves, as follows : If 12. Cas- 
tles (QR) ; 13. KB- QR6 ch, K- QB2 : 
14- Q ~ QKt 7 mate. 

13. QR X QKt. The Queen's Rook i 
moved from the Queen's first point to the 
Queen's seventh point, capturing the adverse 
Queen's Knight, w^hich is removed from the 
board. This is another sacrifice on White's 
part, for he gives up a R for a Kt, whose 
potential value is less than that of the R. 

13. QR X QR. The 
Queen's Rook is moved from the Queen's 
first point to the Queen's second point, cap- 



74 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

turing the adverse Queen's Rook, which is 
removed from the board. This is the only 
way in which Black can capture the adverse 
QR without losing Q; and if he does not 
capture Q R he will be checkmated in a few 
moves ; <f. ^., if 13. Q - K3 ; 14. KR - Q i 
(this process is called ^^ doubling the Rs"), 
KKtxQR; 15. KRx KKt, Q X Q; 16. 
KR X QR mate. On the last move White 
gives check simultaneously with two pieces, 
KR and KB ; this is called ^' double check '* 
(abbreviated into ^' dble ch "), and the check 
given by KB is called ^^ discovered check '^ 
(abbreviated into '' dis ch ") . Black's fifteenth 
move in this variation is not his best, but 
nothing can save him. 

14. KR -■ Ql. The King's Rook is moved 
to the Queen's first point. White thus re- 
places QR, which he has sacrificed, by KR, 
having destroyed a portion of Black's defence 
by the capture of QKt; in other words, by 
the sacrifice of QR for QKt he has impaired 
Black's position without diminishing the force 
of his own. 

14. Q - K3. The 
Queen is moved from the King's second 
point to the King's third point. The object 
of this play is to permit KKt to be moved 
without undergoing the loss of Q for the 
adverse QB. 

15. KB X QRch. The King's Bishop is 
moved from the Queen's Knight's fifth point 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES, 75 

to the Queen's seventh pomt, giving check 
and capturing the adverse Queen's Rook, 
which is removed from the board. KB now 
operates radii of offence against both K and 
Q ; such a move, made with any piece^ is 
called '' forking." 

15. KKt X KB. The 
King's Knight is moved from the King's 
Bishop's third point to the Queen's second 
point, capturing the adverse King's Bishop, 
which is removed from the board. If 15. K 

- K2 ; 16. Q - QKt4ch, K - Qi ; 17. Q 

- QKtSch, K - K2; 18. Q - K8 mate. 
The position at the close of this variation is 
instructive, because of the inability of the 
black KKt, which is " pinned " by the white 
QB, to capture the white Q. Black's best 
play at the fifteenth move, in order to pro- 
long the game, is to sacrifice his Q by 15. Q 
X KB ; with the following possible continua- 
tion : 15. Q X KB; 16. Q- QKtSch, K- 
K2; 17. Q X KPch, K - Qi ; 18. QB x 
Ktch, KKtP X QB; 19. Q X Pch, KB - 
K2; 20. Q X KRch, K - QB2; 21. KR 
X Qch, K X KR; and now White will ac- 
complish checkmate only after a considera- 
ble number of moves, and then by bringing 
up K and Ps into co-operation with Q. 
Black's move of 15. KKt X .KB gives White 
the opportunity for a very brilliant finish. 

16. Q -QKtSch. The Queen is moved 
from the Queen's Knight's third point to the 



*]& THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Queen's Knight's eighth point, giving check. 
It will be noticed that Q B now operates a 
radius of offence against Q8 (cf. note on 
White's ninth move). 

16. KKt X Q. The 
King's Knight is moved from the Queen's 
second point to the Queen's Knight's first . 
point, capturing the adverse Queen, which is 
removed from the board. This is the only 
move by means of which Black can remove 
the check of the adverse Q. 

17. KR - Q8 mate. The King's Rook is 
moved from the Queen's first point to the 
Queen's eighth point, giving check and check- 
mate. The student will see that Black cannot 
remove the check of the adverse K R. The 
game is therefore at an end, and the victory 
is with White. 

The next illustrative game is a specimen 
of quite different play from that of the Mor- 
phy partie. For many moves neither side is 
able to gain a great advantage over the other ; 
one by one, all the superior pieces are ex- 
changed, and at length only Ps remain on 
the board with the Ks. The game is won by 
the queening of a P (cf. p. 40) ; and while 
the student will derive a great deal of instruc- 
tion from the manoeuvring throughout, he 
should particularly examine the ending, which 
is a fin^ example of accurate and judicious 
P play. This game was co/\tested at the 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES, 77 

Sixth American Chess Congress, held at New 
York in 1889, by Messrs. J. H. Blackburne 
(White) and Max Weiss (Black). 

White (Afr. Blackburne). Black [Mr, Weiss). 

1. KP - K4. 1. KP -K4. 

2. KKt - KB3. 2.QKt - QB3. 

3. KB -QKt 5. This move is a feint to 
win Black's KP, by 4. KB x QKt, QP x 
KB; 5. KKt X K P. The more lasting 
effect of the move, however, is due to its 
creation of a radius of offence along the 
adverse K's major diagonal, in the direction 
of K8, the central point of the objective 
plane. 

3. KKt -KB 3. Cre- 
ating a radius of offence against White's KP, 
in preference to a radius of defence upon his 
own KP. 

4. Q P - Q 4. Continuing the attack against 
the adverse KP and disregarding the adver- 
sary's purpose. By playing, later, QP x KP 
or QP - Q5, White may establish radii of 
offence so close to the adversary's base of 
operations as to hinder the development 
of his forces for a considerable length of 
time. If, for his fourth move. White should 
capture QKt with KB, Black would have to 
recapture with QP or QKtP, and he would 
then have two Ps on the QB's vertical, — 
a situation in which the Ps are said to be 
'^ doubled ; " doubled Ps are sometimes dis- 



78 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

advantageous, but on a B's vertical they are, 
on the contrary, usually valuable as a means 
of support for one of the centre Ps (KP or 
QP). In the present instance, if 4. KB X 
QKt, QKtP X KB; and Black may soon 
advance QP two steps, supported by the 
forward QBP, having, besides, the open 
QKt's vertical through which to operate a 
radius of offence by means of Q R at Q Kt i . 

4. KP X QP. Black 
effects the first capture, and temporarily re- 
pels the assault. If 4. KKt X KP: 5. QP 

.-Q5,or5. QP X KP. If 4. QKt X QP; 
5. KKt X QKt, KP X KKt; 6. KP - Ks. 
5. Castles (KR). He may also play 5. KP 
- K5, but he may well delay that move until 
after castling. 5. KKt X P would not be 
good, on account of 5. KKt X KP. 

5. KB - K2. He 
cannot play 5. KKt X KP; for then, by 6. 
KR - K I, White would threaten to win K Kt, 
and Black could not escape without loss : e.g., 
ifS.KKtxKP; 6. KR - K i, QP - Q4 ; 
7. KKt X P, QB - Q2 ; 8. KBP - KB3, 
and now Black cannot remove K Kt on ac- 
count of the radius of offence of White's 
KR against K, and must lose it for a P. In 
this variation Black plays 7. QB - Q2 in 
order to prevent 8. KKt X QKt, QKtP 
X KKt; 9. KB X Pch, winning QR. By 
his fifth move, KB - K 2, Black avoids an 
attack of this sort, for now he might play 6. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES, 79 

KKt X KP; and then, if 7. KR - Ki, 
KKt - KB3; and Black is safe. 

6. KR - Kl. The best move is 6. KP ~ 
Ks,and then if 6. KKt-Ks ; 7.KR-K1. 
(Cf. note on White's fourth move.) 

6. Castles (KR). 

7. KKt X P. Having given Black time 
to castle, White cannot now play 7. K P ~ K5 
so advantageously as before ; for Black would 
retreat KKt to Ki, where it is less ex- 
posed to attack than at K5. Black's posi- 
tion would then be very strong for defensive 
purposes. 

7. QKt X KKt. 

8. Q X QKt. 8. QP - Q4. By this 
move, made at an opportune moment, the 
second player is generally able, not only to 
free himself from the pressure of the adverse 
attack, but to build up a counter-attack ; and 
the first player should therefore prevent the 
move if he can. Black's ability to advance 
QP now is due to White's inferior sixth 
move. 

9. KP X QP. If 9. KP - K5, KKt - 
K5 ; and White cannot play 10, KBP - 
KB 3 on account of 10. KB - QB4 ; which 
would win Q. 

9. KKt X P. 

10. KB - QB4. At QKt 5 nothing was 
accomplished by KB, because the objective 
plane was shifted by Black's castling. KB 
and Q now threaten to win KKt. 



8o THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

10. QB - K3. This 
is the proper post for QB, where its force 
repels any radius of offence directed along 
the K Kt's major diagonal, toward K Kt i . 

11. KB X KKt. By this and his next 
move White accomplishes the important ob- 
ject of gaining time ; but the exchange of 
B for Kt tells against him in the long run. 
Mr. Weiss recognized the great value of two 
Bs, and executed much of his subsequent 
manoeuvring for the purpose of retaining 
them. 

11. QB X KB- 

12. QKt-QB3. 12. QB_K3. Los- 
ing time by the retreat ; but he can afford 
to do that for the sake of retaining QB, 
which White threatened to capture with QKt ; 
and besides, if Black had supported QB by 
Q B P - Q B 3, White would have played Q Kt x 
Q B ; and then, after Black's Q B P recaptures, 
that P is '' isolated," /. e., so situated that it 
cannot be supported by another P. Such a 
P is hard to defend, and it is therefore rarely 
wise to allow a P to be so situated. 

13. Q - K4. Creating radii of offence 
against QKt 7 and KR 7 ; but the main pur- 
pose of the move is to prevent the exchange 
of Qs, after which White would not have 
sufficient force to maintain the attack, and 
Black's two Bs would acquire additional 
value. Black, on the other hand^ steadily 
plays to force the exchange of Qs and Rs, 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES, 8 I 

foreseeing the adv^antage that two Bs against 
B and Kt will bring to him in the ending. 

13. Q B P - Q B 3. In 
this simple move, the immediate and apparent 
object of which is the defence of Q Kt P, there 
is deep meaning. Two valuable principles 
are involved : first, a radius of offence cre- 
ated by a superior piece is most advantageously 
opposed by the radius of offence of an inferior 
piece ; and secondly, the proper post for QB 
P, after the advance of QP to (24, or after 
the exchange of QP, is at QB t,, where it 
opposes radii of offence along both the im- 
portant diagonals of which it is the point of 
intersection, namely, the K's major diagonal 
and the QR's diagonal. 

14. QB - KB 4. 14. KR - Kl. 

15. QR - Ql. 15. Q - QKt3. With 
this move the opening of the game on both 
sides is concluded. White has brought every 
piece into play, and Black has only to move 
QR to Q I in order to complete the develop- 
ment of his forces It will be noticed that 
White's Q's wing Ps are much exposed to 
the adverse attack ; but for this circumstance 
the superior freedom of his pieces would be 
an item in his favor. 

16. QKt - QR4. Initiating the mid-game. 
The beginner should carefully mark the line 
of demarcation between the opening and the 
mid-game, and, later, the Hne of demarcation 
between the mid-game and the ending.. It 



82 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

is not easy in every game to draw either of 
these Hnes sharply, but in general the divi- 
sions of a carefully played game are thus 
broadly distinguished : In the opening the 
manoeuvres on both sides are directed toward 
posting the pieces in the most advantageous 
positions, both for offensive and defensive 
purposes, and the opening on either side is 
completed when the forces of that side are 
thus deployed ; in the mid- game all the forces 
in operation are employed in a strategic man- 
ner, so as to gain, if possible, an advantage 
for one side or the other, either in position 
or in material, which should decide the issue 
of the game, and the mid- game is completed 
when such a result has been attained ; in the 
ending the advantage secured by one side 
is used so as to effect the defeat of the other, 
either by actual checkmate or by the surren- 
der (or resignation, as it is technically called) 
of the losing player. The chief instances of 
departure from these broad principles are as 
follows : In the first part of the game, one 
player may complete his opening earlier than 
the other player completes his, in which 
case the former has the advantage, and, if 
the difference between the respective devel- 
opments is great, should win ; in the second 
part of the game neither side may be able to 
gain any advantage, in which case the end- 
ing is understood to be initiated when most 
of the superior pieces have been exchanged, 



/LL US TRA TI VE GAMES, 8 3 

and the play is carried on, mainly or entirely, 
by means of Ks and Ps ; in the third part of 
the game each side may still be unable to 
gain an advantage, and if, by reduction of 
the forces and equalization of the positions, 
neither side can checkmate the other, the 
game is 'finally said to be drawn. A drawn 
game may also ensue from other causes, 
which will be explained farther on. 

16. Q - QKt5, 

17. Q X Q. It was injudicious for White 
to exchange Qs (cf. note on White's thirteenth 
move). He should rather have played 17. 
QR-Q4. 

17. KB X Q 

18. KR - K4. 18. QB-KKt5. By 
this move two of White's pieces (KRand QR) 
and two of Black's (KR and KB) are placed 
en prise, and, as Black desires, an exchange 
must follow. 

19. KR X KRch. If White had captured, 
instead, KB with K R, Black would have 
captured QR with QB, gaining a R for a B. 
This sort of advantage — gaining R for B or 
Kt — is called ^^ winning the exchange." 

19. QRXKR. Black 
had to remove the check from K ; he could 
not, therefore, play 19. QB X Q R. 

20. KBP - KB3. 20. QB - KB4. 

21. QBP - QB3. 21. KB - K2. 

22. QKtP - QKt3. In order to afford a 
point of retreat for QKt, which Black threat- 



84 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

ened to win by 22. Q KtP - QKt4. By 
the advance of QKtP, however, White in- 
jures his position, as QBP is left unsup- 
ported; a P advanced one step, as QBPis 
here, without the support of an adjoining P, 
is said to be ** weak." 

22. QKtP ^ QKt4. 
Black thus weakens his own QBP, but he 
can afford to do this because White has no 
time to attack it, as will be seen from the sub- 
sequent play. Moreover, being on a white 
square. Black's QBP cannot be attacked at 
all by the adverse QB. 

23. QKt - QKt2. This piece now occu- 
pies a very inferior post. 

23. KB -KB 3. Di- 
recting a radius of offence at once against the 
weakest point of the adverse position. 

24. QB - Q2. To defend QBP. If 24. 
QR - QBi, QR - K7; 25. QKt - Qi, 
QR X QRP. 

24 QR - Ql. 

25. QKtP - QKt4. 25. KRP - KR4. 

26. QB - Kl. He was threatened with the 
loss of a piece by 26. QB - QB7 ; which 
Black could not advantageously play before 
on account of White's reply of QR - Ki, 
when Black could not capture Q B with Q R 
without suffering checkmate. By the ad- 
vance of KRP, however, Black opened a 
point of retreat for K, and he is now in no 
danger from the adverse QR. White's move 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 85 

of 26, QB - Ki appears to be his only way 
to avoid immediate loss, and the exchange 
of Rs that follows is exactly what Black has 
been endeavoring to force. Mr. Morphy's 
play in the former illustrative game was re- 
commended to the student as a model of the 
highest order of chess, — the direct attack 
against K ; so the play of Mr. Weiss in this 
game is worthy of great consideration as an 
example of a second branch of the science, 
only less important than the first, which aims 
at the maintenance of a small advantage in 
position, and the simplification of the posi- 
tion so as to make the advantage tell most 
forcibly in the ending. 

26. QR X QR. 

27. QKt X QR. 27. QB - QB7. 

28. QKt - K3. 28. QB - QKt 8. 

29. QRP-QR3e 29. K-KBl. Black 
has succeeded in weakening the adverse 
QBP and QRP, and now he brings up K, 
judging that he may win by the advantage he 
has gained. The present move, therefore, is 
the first move of the ending. 

30. K - KB2. 30. QB - Q6. To 
prevent K from advancing further at once to 
the support of the Q's wing Ps, 

31. KKtP -KKt3. 31. K - K 2. 

32. KBP - KB 4. This was injudicious. 
He should have maintained KB P at KB 3, so 
as to prevent the adverse K from being 
played subsequently to K4. 

32. K - K3. 



86 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS. 

33.K-KB3. 33.KB-Q1. Direct- 

ing a radius of defence toward QR4, so that 
he may be able to advance Q R P two steps. 

34. QB_KB2. 34. QRP - QR4. 

35. QKt-Ql. If 35. QKtPxQRP; 
35 . K B X P ; and White's Q's wing Ps would 
be even weaker than they were before. 

35. QB - QB7. 

36. QKt-K3. 36. QB - QKt6. 

37. K-K4. 37, KBP-KB4ch. 

38. K-Q3. If 38. QKtxKBP, 38. 
QB-QB7ch; 39. K -KB 3, QB x QKt. 

38. QRP - QR5. 

39. QKt-KKt2. 39. QB-QB5ch. 

40. K - Q2. 40. K- Q4. 

41. QB-Q4. 41. KKtP-KKt3. 
It is now to be remarked that all Black's Ps 
are on white squares, where they cannot be 
attacked by the adverse QB. 

42. QKt-K3ch. 42 K-K5. 

43. QKt X QB. 43. QKtP X Q Kt. 
This exchange was deliberately made by Mr. 
Weiss, although it broke his combination of 
two Bs ; for his Ps are all out of danger (cf. 
preceding note), while all his adversary's 
Ps, on the contrary, are on black squares, 
where they may be attacked by Black's KB; 
and besides. Black threatens to play K - 
KB 6, and then K-KKty, when White 
would be utterly unable to avoid the loss of 
Ps on the K's wing. The error of White's 
32nd move, by which he has permitted the 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 8/ 

adverse K to enter his side of the board, is 
now apparent. 

44. K - K2. Necessary, to prevent the 
further advance of the adverse K. 

44. KKtP - KKt4. 
Black prepares to exchange, or, as it is 
termed, to dissolve the K's wing Ps, so that 
he may afterwards concentrate his forces on 
the weak Q's wing of the adversary. 

45. Q3-K3. 45. KKtP X KBP. 

46. QB X P. 46. KB -KB 3. 

47. QB_Q2. If 47. K- Q2,47. KRP 
-KR5; and White, by capturing KRP, 
would lose QB. 

47. KRP - KR5. 

48. KKtP X P. 48. KB X P (at 
KR5). Black's KBP and White's KRP 
being so situated that adverse Ps cannot 
impede their progress, are called '^ passed 
Ps." If there is 7to adverse P on either 
vertical adjacent to that along which a P is 
moved, that Pis said to be passed ; a passed P 
is generally very valuable, and particularly if 
it is supported on either side by a kindred P. 

49. KB -KB3. 

50. KBP -KB5. 

51. KBP~KB6ch. 

52. KB-KR5ch. 

53. KB X QB. 

54. K - Q 6. An exhi- 
bition of remarkable accuracy. When Mr. 
Weiss exchanged Bs, he must have foreseen 



49. 


QB-K3. 


50. 


QB-Q2. 


51. 


QB-Kl. 


52. 


K - K B 2. 


53. 


K - K B 1. 


54. 


K X KB. 



88 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

the outcome, no less than 17 moves later. 
He now allows his adversary to queen KRP, 
while he himself queens KBP, and then 
forces the exchange of Qs, ultimately win- 
ning by his remaining Q's wing Ps. 

55. KRP-KR4. 55 KxQBP. 

5Q. KRP-KR5. 56. K - Q Kt 6. 

57. KRP-KR6. 57. QBP-QB6. 

58. KRP-KR7. 58. QBP-QB7. 

59. K - Q2. Preventing, it would seem 
at first sight, the further advance of QBP. 
Black cannot on the next move play K - Q 
Kty, because White's KRP would then be 
advanced to KR8, immediately becoming a 
Q and giving check, and White could then 
win the game. 

59. KBP -KB7. The 
successful queening of one or the other 
of the advanced black Ps cannot now be 
prevented. 

60. KRP -KR8(Q). At the instant that 
P enters the last horizontal of the board, it 
becomes Q ; the player substitutes the latter 
piece for P when he makes the move. If 
he has already had Q on the board, P never- 
theless assumes all the force of Q ; so that a 
player may have two or more Qs simultane- 
ously in play. 

60. QBP-QB8(Q)ch. 
The new black Q gives check at once. Black 
could not play 60. KBP -KB 8 (Q) ; be- 
cause, by 61. Q-QB3ch, White would 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES, 89 

assume the initiative, and Black could get 
nothing better than a drawn game. For 
example, suppose 60. KBP-KB8 (Q) ; 
61. Q - QB3ch, K- QR7; 62. Q X P 
(at QB2) ch, K X QRP; 67^. Q- QB3 
ch, K - Q R 7 ; 64. Q - Q B 2 ch, and now, 
to whichever point K is moved, check may 
be given again, and repeated for an indefinite 
number of moves, by the white Q, at Q B 3 
and Q B 2 alternately. In this case the game 
is said to be drawn by perpetual check. 

61. K X Q. 61. KBP-KB8 (Q) 
ch. Now, on the other hand. Black secures 
the first check, which makes all the difference 
in the game. 

62. K-Q2. 62. Q-KB7ch. 

63. K-Q3, If 63. K-QBi, Q-K8 
or QB7 mate. If 63. K - Q i, Q- QB 7 
ch; 64. K-Ki, Q-QB6ch; and White 
is forced to exchange Q's as he is in the 
actual play. 

63. Q -QB7ch. 

64. K - K 3. If 64. K - Q 4, Q - 
QB 6 ch ; winning the adverse Q. 

64. Q - QB6ch. 

65. Q X Qch. White was compelled to 
capture the black Q, for otherwise he would 
have lost his own. 

65. K X Q. 

66. K - K4. He cannot save his Q's 
wing Ps, and the note on Black's 54th move 
will now be appreciated by the student. 



90 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

66. K- QKt6. 

67. K- Q4. 67, K X RP. 

68. K-QB3. 68. K-QR7. 

69. K-QB2. 69. QRP-QR6. 

70. K - QBl. If 70. K-QB3, 70. 
K - Q Kt 8 ; followed by the advance of 
QRP. 

70. K-QKt6, 

71. Resigns. Mr. Blackburne here re- 
signed the game in his adversary's favor. 
For the benefit of the learner we will con- 
tinue it to the final position of checkmate, 
giving the best moves on both sides. 

71. K-QKtl. 71. KxQKtP. 

72. K~QR2. 72. QBP-QB4. 

73. K-QRl. 73. K-QKt6. 

74. K-QKtl. The Ks in this position 
are said to be in opposition, and White has 
'^ gained the opposition." It is sometimes 
an advantage to gain the opposition, but 
not here. 

74. QBP - QB5. If 
74. QRP-QR7ch; 75. K-QRi, QBP 
- QB5 ; White cannot now move K, and 
the position of Ks is what is called stalemate, 
which is reckoned a drawn game. Stalemate 
occurs whenever a player, on his turn to 
play, cannot make a lawful move ; even if 
he has other pieces besides K on the board, 
provided he cannot move any of them, the 
game is drawn. 

75. K-QRl. 75. QBP-QB6. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 9 1 

76. K~QKtl. 76. QBP-QB7ch. 

77. K-QBl. If 77. K-QRi, QBP 

- QB8 (Q) mate. 

77. QRP - QR 7. 

78. K-Q2. 78. QRP-QR8(Q) 

79. K-K3. 79. Q-K4ch. This 
is the fourth Q that Black has had during 
the present game. He might, instead of play- 
ing thus, make still another Q by 79. QBP 

- QB8, and he would then be able to give 
checkmate a little more speedily than he 
does in the given play. The student would 
learn less, however, by following out the pro- 
cess of checkmating with two Qs, than he 
will by seeing how the mate with one Q and 
K is effected. The object of Black's play 
from this point to the end is to drive the 
adverse K to the side of the board. 



80. 


K 


-KB3. 


80. 


K 


-QB6. 


81. 


K - 


KKt4. 


81. 


K 


-Q6. 


82. 


K 


KB 3. 


82. 


Q- 


KKt4. 


83. 


K- 


KB2. 


83. 


Q- 


KKt5. 


84. 


K- 


- KBl. 


84. 


K 


-K6. 


85. 


K 


-Kl. 


85. 


Q 


-KKt8 mate. 



Black may mate also by 85. Q - K 7, or 85. 
Q-Q8, orSs. QBP-QB8 (Q). 



MINOR TACTICS. 

A DDITIONAL statements and illustrations 
^^^ of the general principles that should 
govern the strategy of chess, we shall meet in 
the games and positions of the appendix 
(p. 171) ; for the present, as his next step 
toward the chess player's goal, the student is 
asked to concentrate his attention on that 
branch of the subject which has provided the 
authors with a title for this volume. In making 
choice of the phrase, " The Minor Tactics of 
Chess," we deem it unnecessary to enter into 
any extended discussion of the similarity that 
exists between this game and the mihtary 
art ; but consider it sufficient to state, that 
as the minor tactics of warfare treats of the 
proper construction of the various compon- 
ent parts of an army, preparatory to the be- 
ginning of a campaign, so the minor tactics 
of chess deals with the arrangement of the 
pieces upon the board, in the opening of a 
game, before the initiation of those manoeu- 
vres for attack, defence and counter-attack, 
which constitute the more active stages of 
the chess battle. 



MINOR TACTICS, 93 

It has been the custom, in treatises upon 
the chess openings, to devote page after page 
and chapter after chapter to analyses, the 
study of which is tedious, even to the expe- 
rienced player, and, to the tyro, nothing less 
than appalling ; and, after all is said and 
done, the thousands of variations that are 
thus presented teach no principles of play, 
are inconclusive and frequently misleading 
in their results, and not unusually fall to 
pieces when they are tested m actual prac- 
tice. We shall refrain, therefore, from at- 
tempting to describe the manifold debuts 
that have been invented since chess began 
to engage the faculties of ingenious men ; 
and, in lieu of so complex and untrustworthy 
a task, this theory will lay down certain prin- 
ciples, easy both of comprehension and of 
application, upon which all sound and endur- 
ing chess openings are founded. Taking the 
pieces individually and collectively, we shall 
show how, in order that the energy of the 
chess forces may be the most fully developed 
in the opening, each piece should be posted by 
itself^ and ho7V all the pieces should be posted 
with reference to their mutual interdependence. 



PAWN POSITIONS. 

TN the establishment of a strong position 
^ the Ps are perhaps the most important 
of all the pieces. They serve at first as the 
fortifications in whose embrasures and be- 
hind whose sheltering walls the other pieces 
are deployed ; and later they are brought into 
use as active agents and formidable partici- 
pants in the contest. Naturally, therefore, in 
the theory of minor tactics, the Ps are first to 
be considered ; and, with the aid of the board 
and pieces, which the learner is again urged 
most assiduously to employ in his study, we 
will now proceed to the examination of the 
fundamental positions of Ps. If you will place 
the white Ps on the board in their normal 
position, (cf. p. 45), leaving off all the other 
pieces, and will advance the Q B P one step, 
(QBP-QB3), and QP two steps (QP-Q4), 
you will have created the first distinctive P 
position ; Q Kt P, Q B P, and Q P here occupy 
three consecutive points upon a diagonal, ex- 
tending outward from the remaining Ps, which, 
being unmoved, occupy points in a straight 
line. To the latter Ps, taken collectively, we 
apply the term normal P base ; to the former 



PAWN POSITIONS. 95 

three, the term salient It will be noticed 
that the saUent and the normal P base have 
one P (Q Kt P) in common. If you will next 
advance KP two steps (KP-K4), you will 
have another characteristic formation, con- 
sisting of QP and KP, which we designate 
a supportifig parallel ; and, considering the 
sahent and the supporting parallel together, 
we bestow upon this formation the title angle 
of resistance. The technical terms that we 
have introduced will be of great convenience 
in the construction of our theory, and we 
shall formally define them as follows : — 

A salient is a formation of Ps occupying 
three consecutive points upon a diagonal, 
the initial point of which is in the second 
horizontal of the board. 

A supporting parallel is a formation of 
Ps occupying two consecutive points upon 
the fourth horizontal. 

An angle of resistance is a formation of 
Ps consisting of the combination of a sali- 
ent and a supporting parallel w^hich have 
a P in common. 

The normal P base consists of those Ps 
which are left in their normal positions after 
the formation of a salient, a supporting par- 
allel or an angle of resistance. 

If one of these elementary P formations is 
more valuable than the others, it is the sa- 
lient, which is the prime requisite of a sound 
defensive position, or — since the base of a 



96 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

true line of attack always constitutes the base 
of a true line of defence, — of a sound 
offensive position. In the salient that we 
have just established, Q B P at Q B 3 repels 
any radius of offence that may be operated 
against K, before castling, along the K's 
major diagonal, by the adverse K B and Q ; 
and QP at Q4 similarly repels any radius of 
offence that may be operated against KB 2 
and K Kt I , or against K itself, after castling, 
along the K Kt's major diagonal, by the same 
adverse pieces. Add to this salient KP at 
K4, forming with QP at Q4 a supporting 
parallel, and completing the angle of resist- 
ance ; and no great experience in chess play 
is necessary to convince the student, not only 
that this means of sheltering K from the ad- 
versary's assaults is safe and sufficient, but 
also that the defensive position thus con- 
structed is well-nigh impregnable. This for- 
mation may be still farther strengthened, 
however, for purely offensive measures, by 
the advance of KBP two steps (KBP- 
KB4) ; in but few circumstances should this 
be done before castling, inasmuch as K in its 
normal position, if KBP has been moved, is 
exposed to the operation of a radius of of- 
fence along the K's minor diagonal. Such 
an attack may be repelled, to be sure, by 
the advance of KKtP one step (KKtP- 
KKt3), or it may be prevented by the post- 
ing of KKt at KB 3; nevertheless, there 



PAWN POSITIONS, 97 

are difficulties attending either of these meth- 
ods of defence, which need not be dwelt 
upon here : it is enough to remember that 
the functions of Ps in minor tactics are es- 
sentially defensive, and that a sally like KBP 
-KB 4, although a powerful manoeuvre for 
offence, is theoretically defective if essayed 
before castling, on the ground that it exposes 
K, instead of sheltering it. Therefore, as a 
rule, whenever the advance of KBP, whether 
one or two steps, is recommended in this the- 
ory, the previous castling of K is to be taken 
for granted. When KBP has been advanced 
two steps, it forms, in conjunction with KP 
at K 4 and Q P at Q 4, what may be called a 
composite supporting parallel, and the angle 
of resistance consisting of this supporting 
parallel and the salient that has been des- 
cribed, is called a composite angle of resist- 
ance. The composite angle of resistance is 
the only elementary P formation in which 
three Ps are posted abreast on the fourth 
horizontal of the board, and it is by far the 
most powerful of all the P formations. 

The next salient to which the consideration 
of the student is invited consists of K Kt P in 
its normal position, KBP advanced one step 
(KB P-K B 3), and K P advanced two steps 
(KP-K4). Between this salient and that 
which has previously been described, an inti- 
mate relation exists : the salient consisting of 
K Kt P, K B P and K P should be established 



98 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

only after the establishment of the sahent con- 
sisting of Q Kt P, Q B P and Q P ; for which 
reason the former is denominated an auxil- 
iary salient The formation of both these 
salients, it will be noticed, presents two 
angles of resistance, which have in common 
the supporting parallel consisting of Q P at 
Q4 and KP at K4. Together with the un- 
moved Ps that constitute the normal P base, 
this position of Ps possesses a character of 
completeness that entitles it to the specific 
designation of a P integral ; in contradistinc- 
tion to which term the elementary formations 
that enter into its construction are called P 
units. The following diagram (Fig. 24) arid 
formula clearly show the composition of this 
P integral, in which we include K in order 
to show that it should occupy its position 
after castling (KR) : — 

Formula : P integral = P unit (element 
of normal P base-Q R P, Q Kt P) plus P 
unit (salient-Q Kt P, Q B P, Q P) plus P 
unit (supporting parallel-Q P, K P) plus 
P unit (salient-KP, K B P, K Kt P) plus 
P unit (element of normal P base-K Kt P, 
KRP). 

We will now consider the formation of all 
the P units and P integrals in detail. The 
necessity of their diligent examination, one 
by one, cannot be too strenuously urged 
upon the student of minor tactics. 

The salients are six in number, and are 



PAWN POSITIONS. 



99 



Fig. 24. 
(Black.) 






M .. m «Aiii 

i s 



w/m p 



( White.) 
A Pawn Integral. 



ranked as follows, according to the Ps that 
enter into their construction and the points 
that are occupied by those Ps : — 

First salient — Q Kt P at Q Kt 2, Q B P 
at Q B 3, Q P at Q 4. 

First auxiliary salient = K Kt P at K Kt 2. 
K B P at K B 3, K P at K 4. 

Second salient == K B P at K B 2, K P at 
K 3, Q P at Q 4. 

Second auxiliary salient = Q R P at 
Q R 2, Q Kt P at Q Kt 3, Q B P at Q B 4. 

Third salient = Q B P at Q B 2, Q P at 
Q3, KPatK4. 

L.ofC. 



100 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Fourth salient = Q P at Q 2, K P at K 3, 
K B P at K B 4. 

The functions of the first salient have already 
been stated (p. 94) . The first auxiliary sa- 
lient is useful in conjunction with the first 
salient as a prime defensive measure for cov- 
ering the developing manoeuvres of the supe- 
rior pieces in the opening ; its most important 
feature is KB P at K B 3, which supports K P 
and prevents the posting of an adverse piece 
at KKt4. Both these salients belong to 
what is called the open game, in which the 
first move is i. KP-K4, and the forces are 
developed with the primary objects of attack 
and defence on the K's side. 

The second salient and the second auxil- 
iary salient, on the other hand, are character- 
istic of the close game, in which the opening 
move is either 1.QP-Q4, 1.KP-K3, 
1.QBP-QB4, i.QKtP-QKt3 or i.KKt- 
KB3, and the forces are developed with the 
primary objects of attack and defence on 
the Q's side. These two formations, unlike 
the first and the first auxiliary salients, are 
most frequently associated with each other ; 
the first salient may be established without 
the addition of the first auxiliary, but the 
second salient should be accompanied by its 
auxiliary. Again, the protection of K from 
attack is not a direct object of the formation 
of the second and the second auxiliary sa- 
lients, as it is of the first salient and its auxil- 



FAWN POSITIONS. lOI 

iary; their purpose is rather to protect the 
Q's side during the developing operations of 
the opening. 

The third sahent marks a purely defensive 
variety of the open game ; // is properly estab- 
lished only by the second player, and its virtues 
as compared with those of the first salient 
are so few that it must be regarded as greatly 
inferior to that formation. Still, it is fre- 
quently necessary to adopt this class of sa- 
lient when the estabhshrnent of a better 
one is impracticable, and for that reason it 
plays an important part in minor tactics. 
In its composition Q P at Q 3, supporting 
K P at K 4, is the only element worthy of 
consideration. 

The fourth saUent is rarely employed, and 
when it is pressed into service it is consist- 
ently accompanied by the second auxiliary 
salient ; the class of game into which it enters 
is essentially close, but possesses also some 
characteristics of the open game, inasmuch 
as it contemplates a counter-attack on the 
K's side in reply to the adversary's close at- 
tack on the Q's side. The fourth salient is 
generally adopted only by the second player. 

The supporting parallels are four in num- 
ber, ranked as follows : — 

First supporting parallel =:i Q P at Q 4, 
K P at K 4. 

First composite supporting parallel = Q P 
at Q 4, K P at K 4, K B P at K B 4. 



102 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

Second supporting parallel = Q P at Q 4, 
Q B P at Q B 4. 

Third supporting parallel = K P at K 4, 
K B P at K B 4. 

As the salients repel adverse attacks along 
diagonals, so the supporting parallels oppose 
radii of oifence directed along verticals ; but 
as the Ps exert no active force in vertical 
directions, their opposition to adverse force 
along verticals is solely passive, and exercised 
by the process of intercepting, rather than 
repelling, adverse radii of offence. For this 
reason the supporting parallels are chiefly 
subsidiary to the sahents, in conjunction with 
which they form the angles of resistance. 

Our former definition of angles of resist- 
ance (p. 95) was incomplete, in that it failed 
to state that the salient and the supporting 
parallel of which an angle of resistance is 
composed are of the same rank. Bearing 
this fact in mind, the student will have no 
difficulty in perceiving that all the possible 
angles of resistance are ^w^ in number, 
formed as follows : — 

First angle of resistance (first salient 
together with first supporting parallel) = 
Q Kt P at Q Kt 2, Q B P at Q B 3, Q P at 
Q 4, K P at K 4. 

First composite angle of resistance (first 
salient together -with first composite sup- 
porting parallel) = Q Kt P at Q Kt 2, Q B P 
at Q B 3, Q P at Q 4, K P at K 4, K B P at 
KB 4. 



PAWN POSITIONS. 103 

First auxiliary angle of resistance (first 
auxiliary salient together with first sup- 
porting parallel) =1 KKt P at K Kt 2, K B P 
at K B 3, :5c P at K*4, Q P at Q 4. 

Second angle of resistance (second sa- 
lient together with second supporting par- 
allel) ==KBP at KB 2, KP at K3, QP 
at Q 4, Q B P at Q B 4. 

Second auxiliary angle of resistance 
(second auxiliary salient together with 
second supporting parallel) = Q R P at 
Q R 2, Q Kt P at Q Kt 3, Q B P at Q B 4, 
Q P at Q 4. 

Third angle of resistance (third salient 
together with third supporting parallel) == 
Q B P at Q B 2, Q P at Q 3, K P at K 4, 
K B P at K B 4. 

Of the fourth variety of P units — ele- 
ments of the normal P base — no classi- 
fication is deemed necessary, and their 
consideration may be dismissed in a few 
brief observations : First, in every P forma- 
tion of the open game both R Ps (QRP 
and KRP) and both KtPs (QKtP and 
K Kt P) remain unmoved ; secondly, in some 
P formations of the open game either QBP 
or KBP, or both QBP and KBP, remain 
unmoved, together with R Ps and Kt Ps con- 
stituting elements of the normal P base ; 
thirdly, in the close game the only P on the 
Q's wing that remains unmoved, thus form- 
ing an element of the normal P base, is QRP, 
with a single exception (see p. 165). 



104 ^^^- Mi NOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

We now proceed to the examination of P 
integrals, in which all that has been said of the 
various P units will find its application. In 
the ensuing diagrams the positions are repre- 
sented by white Ps when the integrals prop- 
erly belong to the first player, and by black 
Ps when they properly belong to the second 
player. It is to be understood, however, that 
no hard and fast rule is set down, restricting 
the use of any integral to either player : but, in 
general, if the second player is able to establish 
an integral that properly belongs to the first 
player, so much the better for the second 
player ; and if the first player is compelled 
to adopt an integral that properly belongs 
to the second player, so much the worse 
for the first player. This may seem to the 
student like an instance of " Heads, I win ; 
tails you lose : " and so it really is ; for we 
may right here enunciate the broad principle 
that — 

Any subversion of P integrals — that is, 
the adoption by one player of a formation 
that properly belongs to the other — gives 
an advantage in minor tactics to the sec- 
ond or defending player. 

The P integrals in the following classifica- 
tions are divided into those which arise in 
the open game and those which arise in the 
close game, and in each division are num- 
bered in order from the most to the least 
advantageous ; 



PAWN POSITIONS, 



los 



Fig. 25. 
(Black.) 



m" 






i iMa^ill^ '.^^ 




{ White.) 
First Open Pawn Integral. 



The first open P integral (Figs. 25, 33, 34, 
35-). is composed of the first salient and the 
first composite supporting parallel (together 
constituting first the composite angle of re- 
sistance), and two elements of the normal 
P base, with K in its position after castling 
(KR) ; it is a feature of the attack in the 
open game, and is formed by the moves KP - 

K4, QP-Q4, QBP-QB3, KBP-KB4. 

Maxims : KP-K4 is the initial and dis- 
tinctive move of the open game, and in the 
open attack it should be followed as early as 
practicable byQP-Q4. KPis best posted 



I06 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS. 

atK4, and QP is better posted at Q4 than 
^t Q3. 'The point QB t^ is the key to the 
general P position in the open game, and it 
should be occupied as early as practicable by 
a P, by means of the move Q B P ~ Q B 3 ; 
QBP should not, therefore, without urgent 
necessity, be allowed to remain unmoved, 
nor be advanced two steps. The first sali- 
ent should be formed in the surest and speed- 
iest manner, as the fundamental unit in the 
composition of the first open P integral ; and 
this integral, having been established, should 
thereafter be maintained intact save for the 
most cogent reasons, either because victory 
is assured and may immediately be achieved, 
or because defeat may be averted only by the 
disturbance of this invaluable disposition of 
the P line. The first open P integral is the 
perfect P line of the open game, and any 
other P line is scientifically correct in direct 
proportion to the facilities it affords for es- 
tablishing this integral. If, in the formation 
of the first, second or third open P integral, 
the move QBP-QB3be made before Q P- 
Q4 ; and either before or after QP-,Q3, a 
risk is involved in the lack of support of Q P 
by another P ; moreover, the occupation of 
the point Q 4 by an adverse P would prevent 
the advance" of QPto Q4, and thtis perpetu- 
ate the defect existing in the P line by rea- 
son of the weakness of the position of Q P : 
this manoeuvre, therefore, if it be ventured 



PAWN POSITIONS, 



107 



at all, should be adopted with the greatest 
caution, and only when the adversary is 
manifestly unable to prevent the subsequent 
advance of QP to Q4. 

Fig, 26. 
(Black.) 



^ vi^«^>^ 

^ iii a m>. ■ 






(White.) 
Second Open Pawn Integral. 

The second open P integral (Figs. 26, 
3^^ 37? 3^) is composed of the first sahent 
and the first supporting parallel (together 
constituting the first angle of resistance), 
and two elements of the normal P base, 
with K either in its normal position or in 
its position after castling (KR) ; it is a 
feature of the attack in the open game, and 
it is formed by the moves KP ~K4, QP- 
Q4, QBP-QB3. 



I08 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Maxim: The second open P integral hav- 
ing been estabUshed, and K having been 
casded (KR), the position should be con- 
verted as early as practicable into the first 
open P integral, by the move KBP - KB 4. 
All the maxims enunciated with reference 
to the formation of the first open P in- 
tegral apply equally to the second open P 
integral. 

Fig. 27. 
(Black.) 



m 
M «. 



8 W ^ 



[White.) 
Third Open Pawn Integral. 



The third open P integral (Figs. 27, 39) 
is composed of the first salient, the first 
auxiliary salient and the first supporting par- 
allel (together constituting the first and the 



PAWN POSITIONS, 



log 



first auxiliary angles of resistance), with K 
in its position after castling (KR) ; it is a 
feature of the attack in the open game, and 
it is formed by the moves KP-K4, QP- 
Q4, QBP-QB3, KBP-KB3. 

Maxim : K B P being posted at K B 3 for 
defence and at KB 4 for offence to co-oper- 
ate with KP for offence, the third open P 
integral is the most efficient disposition of 
the P line for purely defensive purposes, and 
it is readily susceptible of development into 
the first open P integral, the perfect offensive 
P formation, by the further advance of 
KBP from KB 3 to KB 4. 

Fig. 28. 
(Black.) 









I » M M 



[White.) 
Fourth Open Pawn Integral. 



I lO THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

The fourth open P integral (Figs. 28, 40, 
41) is composed of the third saUent and the 
third supporting parallel (together consti- 
tuting the third angle of resistance), and 
two elements of the normal P base, with K 
in its position after castling (KR) ; it is a 
feature of the defence in the open game, and 
it is formed by the moves KP-K4, QP- 
Q3, and KBP- KB4. 

Maxims : The fourth open P integral is 
an important element of a strong and accu- 
rate counter-attack. The fundamental unit 
in its composition is the third salient. 




(White.) 
Fifth Open Pawn Integral. 



PAWN POSITIONS. 



Ill 



The fifth open P integral (Figs. 29, 42, 
43) is composed of the third salient and two 
elements of the normal P base, with K 
either- in its normal position or in its position 
after castling (KR) ; it is a feature of the 
defence in the open game, and it is formed 
by the moves KP - K4 and QP - Q3. 

Maxims : The fifth open P integral is the 
method of disposition of the Ps which is 
usually adopted by the second player for 
purely defensive purposes. It is the most 
readily established, but also the least effec-= 
tive, of all the P integrals. 



Fig. 30. 
(Black.) 



ii mlm'm 



..,. Mi'.fc, .^ 






m WA 



(White.) 

First Close Pawn Integral. 



112 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

The first close P integral (Figs. 30, 44) 
is composed of the second salient, the second 
auxiUary salient and the second supporting 
parallel (together constituting the second 
and the second auxiliary angles of resist- 
ance), and two elements of the normal P 
base, with K either in its normal position or 
in its position after castling (KR) ; it is a 
feature both of the attack and of the defence 
in the close game, and it is formed by the 
moves QP-Q4, KP-K3, QBP-QB4 
and QKtP- QKt3. 

Maxims : Q P - Q 4 is the initial and dis- 
tinctive move of the close game, and it should 
be followed as early as practicable by K P 
K3, except in the close defence to the open 
attack (second close P integral), when the 
move K P - K 3 is made first, and then 
followed as early as practicable by QP - 
Q 4 ; in any case K P is posted and main- 
tained at K3, and QPat Q4. In the close 
game QBP is properly posted and main- 
tained at QB4. The second salient, as the 
fundamental unit in the composition of the 
first close P integral, should be formed in 
the speediest and surest manner. QKtP, 
whenever moved at all, is posted and main- 
tained at QKt3, in order to form the second 
auxiliary salient in conjunction with QBP at 
QB4. The first close P integral is the per- 
fect P line of the close game, and any other 
P line is scientifically correct in direct 



PAWN POSITIONS. 



113 



proportion to the facilities it affords for 
establishing this integral. 

Fig. 31. 
(Black.) 



^^.^mi^-"^i^^ 



mm^. ^p^ « m^y va 



i„iB BiB 



i ill 



"^^"^M 



^ MM ''///////^'^ ''///////'''■ 






( White.) 

Second Close Pawn Integral. 



The second close P integral (Figs. 31, 
45) is composed of the second sahent and 
the second supporting parallel (together con- 
stituting the second angle of resistance), and 
two elements of the normal P base, with K 
either in its normal position or in its position 
after castling (KR) : it is a feature of the 
close defence to the open attack, and it is 
formed by the moves KP~K3, QP-Q4, 
and QBP-QB4. 



1 14 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Maxim : The second close P integral is 
an important element of a strong and accu- 
rate close counter-attack, when the first 
player has initiated the open attack. The 
maxims enunciated with reference to the 
formation of the first close P integral apply- 
equally to the second close P integral. 

Fig. 32. 

(Black.) 



'////////A »^^ 



in « 4 ■ III 

wm 'mm 1 mm 

III «, 4 ■ 
wm WM WM k W/ 



m «, 



1 » » 4m, 



(White) 

Third Close Pawn Integral. 



The third close P integral (Figs. 32, 46, 
47) is composed of thie fourth salient, the 
second auxiUary salient and three elements 
of the normal P base, with K in its position 
after castling ^KR) ; it is a feature of the 
defence in the close game, and it is formed 



PA WN POSITIONS. I I 5 

bythe moves KP-K3, KB P-KB4,QBP- 
QB4, and QKtP-QKt3. 

Maxims : The fundamental unit in the com- 
position of the third close P integral is the 
fourth salient, which should be formed in the 
surest and speediest manner when this class 
of defence is adopted. The third close P 
integral is inferior both to the first and to 
the second close P integrals ; its chief defect 
is the weak position of Q P, and its chief 
merit is that it affords means for an early 
counter-attack, when the first player has in- 
itiated the close attack. 

There are other inferior P formations that 
possess some good qualities, but of them all it 
may be stated, that in whatever details they 
differ from the foregoing models, they are to 
that extent fundamentally defective and 
inadvisable. 



THE SUPERIOR PIECES. 

\ 1 7E come now to the minor tactics of the 
superior pieces, which we shall treat 
in a manner similar to that in which we have 
dealt with the opening formations of Ps. 
The units of the several superior pieces we 
define as those situations of both Kts, both 
Bs, both Rs, or Q, in which they have been 
moved from their normal positions and prop- 
erly posted for the play of the mid-game. An 
integral of the superior pieces consists of a 
P integral together with one unit of Kts, Bs, 
Rs, or Q. In order to grasp what follows, the 
student must memorize the various positions 
and thoroughly examine and understand 
their relations to one another ; this is the 
most difficult task that is set before him in 
the mastering of this theory, but it is so much 
less difficult than the memorizing of those 
thousands of variations which are given in 
the ordinary treatises on the chess openings, 
that the authors of this volume do not con- 
sider it necessary to apologize for its diffi- 
culty. Once more is the constant use of the 
board and men enjoined upon the learner, 
in connection with the study of every unit 



THE SUPERIOR PIECES, liy 

and integral. No diagrams of the units and 
integrals by themselves are presented, but 
these positions will all be included and illus- 
trated in the diagrams of primary bases (see 
pp. 125 to 128), to which references are 
made in the proper places. 

The Kt units are four in number, three in 
the open game and one in the close game, 
as follows : — 

The first open Kt unit (Figs. 33, 34, T^6y 
37) is composed of KKt at K2 and QKt at 
KB 3, and is most directly formed by the 
moves KKt~K2, QKt-Q2, and QKt- 
K B 3 ; it is a feature of the attack in the open 
game, and is the most efficient disposition of 
the Kts possible to White in the opening. The 
same position of Kts, except that KKt and 
QKt are transposed, may also be obtained 
by the moves KKt-KB3, QKt-QB3, and 
Q Kt - K 2 ; this method of forming the unit 
is inferior, however, because the point QB3, 
to which QKt must be played in transitu, 
should be left open in the attack of the open 
game, for occupation by QBP (cf. p. 106). 

The second open Kt unit (Figs. 35, 1,^, 
39) is composed of K Kt at K 2, and Q Kt at 
Q 2, and is most directly formed by the moves 
K Kt - K 2 and Q Kt - Q 2 ; it is a feature of 
the attack in the open game. 

The third open Kt unit (Figs. 40, 41, 42, 
43) is composed of KKt at KB 3 and QKt 
at QB3, and is most directly formed by the 



Il8 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

moves K Kt - KB3 and Q Kt - Q B 3 ; it is a 
feature of the defence in the open game. 
What was said (p. 104) concerning the subver- 
sion of P integrals is equally applicable to 
the units of the superior pieces ; that is, the 
adoption by one player of a icnit that prop- 
erly belongs to the other player gives an ad- 
vantage in miiior tactics to the second player : 
bearing this principle in mind, the student 
will find an additional reason why the first 
open Kt unit should not be formed by the 
moves KKt-KB3, QKt-QB3, andQKt- 
K2, because, after the first two moves the 
first player has the third open Kt unit, which, 
as we have just seen, properly belongs to the 
second player. 

The first (and only) close Kt unit (Figs. 
44, 45, 46, 47) is composed of KKt at 
KB3 and QKt at QB3, and is most directly 
formed by the moves KKt - KB 3 and 
QKt-QB3; it is a feature both of the 
attack and of the defence in the close 
game, and is the most efficient disposition 
of Kts in that form of the opening. This 
unit is the same as the third open Kt unit, 
but it is accompanied by a different P inte- 
gral and different units of the other superior 
pieces. The student should here compare 
the diagrams (Figs. 40, 41, 42, 43) given to 
illustrate the third open Kt unit, with the 
diagrams (Figs. 44, 45, 46, 47) given to 
illustrate the first close Kt unit. 



THE SUPERIOR PIECES, II9 

The B units are six in number, three in 
the open game and three in the close game, 
as follows : — 

The first open B unit (Figs. 33, 35, 36, 
T^S, 39) is composed of KB at Q 3 and QB 
at K3, and is most directly formed by the 
moves K B - Q 3 and Q B - K 3 ; it is a 
feature of the attack in the open game, and 
is the most efficient disposition of the Bs 
possible for White. 

The second open B unit (Figs. 34, 37, 
40, 42) is composed of KB at QB4 and 
QB at K3, and is formed by the moves KB 
- Q B 4 and Q B - K 3 ; it is a feature both of 
the attack and of the defence in the open 
game. This unit may be converted into the 
first open B unit by moving KB from QB4 
toQ3. 

The third open B unit (Figs. 41, 43) is 
composed of KB at K 2 and QB at K3, and 
is formed by the moves K B - K 2 and Q B - 
K 3 ; it is a feature of the defence in the 
open game, but is inferior, even for defen- 
sive purposes, to the second open B unit. 

The first close B unit (Figs. 44, 46) is 
composed of KB at K2 and QB at QKt2, 
and is formed by the moves KB - K2 and 
QB-QKt2; it is a feature both of the 
attack and of the defence in the close game, 
and is the most efficient disposition of the Bs 
possible to either player in that form of the 
opening. 



I20 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

The second close B unit (Fig. 47) is 
composed of KB at Q3 and QB at QKt2, 
and is formed by the moves K B - Q 3 and 
QB - Q Kt 2 ; it is a feature of the defence, 
when the second player adopts the close 
counter-attack to oppose the close attack. 

The third close B unit (Fig. 45) is com- 
posed of KB at K 2 and QB at Q2, and is 
formed by the moves K B - K 2 and Q B - 
Q 2 ; it is a feature of the defence, when the 
second player adopts the close counter-attack 
to oppose the open attack. 

The R units are three in number, one in 
the open game and two in the close game, 
as follows : — 

The first (and only) open R unit (Figs. 
33 to 43) is composed of KR at KBi and 
QR at Ki, and is most directly formed by 
the moves Castles (KR) and QR - Ki ; it 
is a feature both of the attack and of the 
defence in the open game, and is the most 
efficient disposition of the Rs possible to 
either player in that form of development. 
The minor tactics of Rs contemplates cas- 
tling only on the K's side (see remarks on 
castling, p. 72). 

The first close R unit (Figs. 44, 45) is 
composed of KR at Q i and QR at QBi, 
and is most directly formed by the moves 
Castles (KR), KR- Qi,andQR-QBi ; 
it is a feature both of the attack and of the 
defence in the close game, and is the most 



THE SUPERIOR PIECES. 121 

efficient disposition of Rs in that form of 
development. 

The second close R unit (Figs. 46, 47) is 
composed of KR at KB i and QRat QB i, 
arid is most directly formed by the moves 
Castles (KR) and QR-QBi; it is a 
feature of the defence, when the second 
player adopts the close counter-attack in 
opposition either to the open or to the close 
attack. 

The Q units are five in number, two in 
the open game and three in the close game, 
as follows : 

The first open Q unit (Figs. ^T)^ 34? 3^? 
37, 40, 41, 42, 43) is composed of Q at 
Q2, and is formed by the move Q - Q 2 ; 
it is a feature both of the attack and of 
the defence in the open game. Q is most 
efficiently posted at Q 2 in the development 
both of the open and of the close game. 

The second open Q unit (Figs. 35, 2)^, 
39) is composed of Q at Q B 2, and is formed 
by the move Q - Q B 2 ; it is a feature of 
the attack in the open game. 

The first close Q unit (Fig. 44) is com- 
posed of Q at Q 2, and is formed by the 
move Q ~ Q 2 ; it is a feature both of the 
attack and of the defence in the close game. 

The second close Q unit (Figs. 46, 47) 
is composed of Q at QB2, and is formed 
by the move Q - Q B 2 ; it is a feature of 
the defence when the second player adopts 



122 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

the close counter-attack to oppose the close 
attack. The first and second close Q units 
are the same as the first and second open 
Q units, but they are accompanied by differ- 
ent P integrals and different units of the 
other superior pieces. 

The third close Q unit (Fig. 45) is com- 
posed of Q at Q Kt 3, and is formed by the 
move Q - Q Kt 3 ; it is a feature of the de- 
fence when the second player adopts the 
close counter-attack to oppose the open 
attack. 

We do not specify K units, because the 
correct post for K, both in the open and in the 
close game, is at KKti, after castling {K R) . 

There are other inferior dispositions of the 
superior pieces that possess some good qual- 
ities, but of them all it may be stated, in gen- 
eral, that in whatever details they differ from 
the foregoing models, they are to that extent 
fundamentally defective and inadvisable. 

The integrals of the superior pieces we 
shall not describe in detail, but shall give in 
the form of a table, which the student should 
exhaustively examine according to the follow- 
ing instructions : — The first column includes 
in regular numerical order the several P in- 
tegrals of the open game and of the close 
game ; the second column includes the Kt 
units that may properly be combined with 
the P integrals on corresponding lines of the 
first column ; in the same manner, the third, 



THE SUPERIOR PIECES. 1 23 

fourth and fifth columns include the B units, 
R units and Q units, respectively, that may 
properly be combined with the P integrals 
on corresponding lines of the first column ; 
in every P integral K is included, in the 
position assigned to that piece in the de- 
scription and diagram of such P integral ; 
the units of the superior pieces in any hne 
are not necessarily consistent with one an- 
other, but only with the P integral on that 
line, and any Kt, B, R or Q integral includes 
only one position of the two Kts, the two Bs, 
the two Rs or Q, respectively, together with 
the proper P integral. 

INTEGRALS OF THE SUPERIOR PIECES. 







open Game. 






P integrals 


;. Kt units. 


B units. 


R units. 


Q units. 


vlSt 


1st and 2nd ist and 2nd 


1st 


1st and 2nd 


2nd 


1st and 2r 


id 1st and 2nd 


1st 


1st and 2nd 


3rd 


2nd 


1st 


1st 


2nd 


4th 


31-d 


2nd and 3rd 


1st 


ISt 


5th 


3rd 


2nd and 3rd 
Close Game. 


I St 


1st 


1st 


1st 


1st 


1st 


1st 


2nd 


1st 


3rd 


1st 


3rd 


3rd 


1st 


1st and 2nd 


2nd 


2nd 



By means of this table the student should 
determine for himself, always using the board 
and men to illustrate the position, with what 
P integral or integrals each unit of the supe- 
rior pieces may properly be combined. 



PRIMARY BASES. 

T F the student has famiharized himself with 
^ the foregoing principles and positions, 
thus learning how to handle the several indi- 
vidual pieces in the opening of a game, he 
is now prepared to enter upon a considera- 
tion of the scientific methods of developing 
all the pieces, regarded both individually 
and collectively, and with reference to their 
mutual interdependence. 

When, in the actual play of a game, all the 
pieces have been thus developed, the student 
has reached the limit of what the art of minor 
tactics can teach him, and for the future he 
must depend either upon his natural skill or 
upon his acquired proficiency in those higher 
branches of the science, major tactics and 
grand tactics. To such a position of the 
pieces as exists when the play makes this 
transition from minor tactics to the broader 
field of strategics, we apply a generic term, 
and lay down the following definition and 
corollary : — 

A complete and consistent disposition of all 
the pieces in the opening of a game, pi^elimi- 
nary to the play of the mid-game, is called a 
pri7nary base. 



PRIMARY BASES. 



I2S 



In the constitution of a piimary base it 
is, therefoir, necessary to effect the formation 
of a P integral, and to combine with it con- 
sistent units of all the superior pieces. 

In order that the student may immediately 
gain a clear idea of the appearance, charac- 
teristics and properties of a primary base, 
we give a diagram of such a position, which 
the learner will of course copy with his board 
and men : — 

Fig. 33. 
[Black ) 



m 

Wa ». 



^^ W^ 'W^ w 



Wy. 



^/ ^^^Jm^^^^^ m 






[White.) 
Open Primary Base i A. 



This diagram represents a primary base in 
which, as the student will readily perceive by 
the exercise of knowledge already acquired, 



126 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS. 

the first open P integral is combined with the 
first open Kt unit, the first open B unit, the 
first open R unit, and the first open Q unit. 
By reference to the table of integrals of the su- 
perior pieces (p. 123), you will find that each 
of these units of the several superior pieces 
is here consistently combined with the first 
open P integral ; you will see that all the 
pieces are properly posted, and you are in- 
formed, furthermore, that this is the most 
efficient disposition of the forces possible in the 
development of the open game. The P inte- 
gral and all the units of the superior pieces 
are of the first rank, and as a preparation for 
the play of the mid-game along the lines of 
an open attack the position cannot in any 
detail be improved. Having made this state- 
ment of the merits of the open primary base 
I x\ (as we shall call the formation of Fig. 
2y2)), the authors are disposed to answer a 
|uery that the student may very naturally 
propound at this stage of his progress : 
namely, " Will it be easy for me in actual 
play, if I have the white pieces, to get them 
into this position?" To this we reply that 
you will probably be unable to obtain the 
primary base i A exactly, but the more closely 
you approximate to it, the better opening you 
will have, the more difficult it will be for any 
opponent to win the game from you, and the 
easier it will be for you to win the game from 
any opponent. In a word, the open pri- 



PRIMARY BASES, 12/ 

mary base lA is a model of the disposition of 
the forces for the open attack, and when you 
have the white pieces and elect to play the 
open attack (that is, to play K P - K4 as your 
first move), you should aim at the construc- 
tion of a position which will confoi^m as 
nearly as possible to this model, in spite of 
what your opponent may do. You must not 
for an instant suppose that your opponent 
can gain any advantage from your efforts to 
establish this primary base, or another of 
lower rank, provided, of course, that you 
apply your efforts in a judicious and careful 
manner ; on the contrary, the early precipi- 
tation of a counter-attack on his part is more 
than likely in the end to assist, rather than 
to retard, the development of your forces, 
and, perhaps, to open for you what we shall 
call an accidental line of attack, by which, 
on account of your opponent's errors, you 
are enabled to depart from your purpose of 
constructing a primary base, and proceed 
immediately to the assault of his position, 
with the certainty of winning the game. The 
most that your opponent can do, if he, on 
his side, plays as scientifically as you, is to 
force the exchange of a few pieces, and thus 
to destroy a few of the positive merits of 
your position, without creating in it any pos- 
itive defect ; or else to delay the perfection 
of your development, by compelling you 
temporarily to adopt somewhat inferior units 



128 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

of Ps and superior pieces instead of the very 
best. Against a weaker or less soundly 
schooled opponent, you will encounter little 
difficulty in establishing a primary base very 
similar to the model, and against a stronger 
or more experienced opponent you will cer- 
tainly be able, if you obey the injunctions of 
this theory, to make a firmer and more hope- 
ful stand than you could by many times the 
same amount of study bestowed on the ordi- 
nary give-and-take openings of " the books." 
If you are driven to deviate from the best 
course of development, in order that you 
may know how to accomplish your chief 
aims in ways as nearly as possible identical 
with those of your first intention, it will be 
necessary for-j^ou thoroughly to understand 
the functions and properties of the several 
units and integrals, to-.whieh- we shall accord 
detailed and exhausti^-e trMtment in the fol- . 
lowing pages. ^H^ -''* T 

^s the first lesson in tms^study we present 
a table of primary bases (p. 129), similar in 
arrangement to that of the integrals of the 
superior pieces ; in the present table, however, 
each formation includes all the elementary 
. formations given on a particular Hne, and, 
consequently, all the pieces, either of one 
side or of the other. It is convenient to 
rank the primary bases first according to the 
P integrals that enter into their construction, 
and then according to the comparative values 



PRIMARY BASES. 
OPEN PRIMARY BASES. 



129 



Rank. 



P in- 
tegral 
(open). 



I A 
I B 

1 C 

2 A 
2 B 
2C 

3 
4A 
4B 
5A 
SB 



Kt 

unit 

(open). 



1st 
1st 
ISt 

2nd 
2nd 
2nd 
3rd 
4th 
4tli 
5th 
5th 



ISt 

1st 
2nd 

ISt 
ISt 

2nd 
2nd 
3rd 
3rd 
3rd 
3rd 



B 

unit 
(open). 



R 

unit 
(open). 



ISt 

2nd 

ISt 

ISt 

2nd 

ISt 
ISt 

2nd 
3rd 
2nd 
3r(f- 



ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISt 
ISf: 
ISt 



Q 

unit 
(open). 



ISt 

ISt 

2nd 

ISt 
ISt 

2nd 
2nd 
1st 

ISt 
ISt 

ISt 



Object of 
formation. 



attack 

attack 

attack 

attack 

attack 

attack 

attack 

counter-attack 

counter-attack 

defence 

defence 



CLOSE PRIMARY BASES. 



Rank. 


P in- 
tegral 
(close). 


Kt 

unit 

(close). 


B 

unit 
(close). 


R 

unit 
(close). 


Q 

unit 
(close). 


I 


ISt 


ISt 


ISt 


ISt 


ISt 


2 


2nd 


ISt 


3rd 


I.St 


3rd 


3A 


3rd 


ISt 


ISt 


2nd 


2nd 


3B 


3rd 


ISt 


2nd 


2nd 


2nd 



Object of 
formation. 



attack or defence 
counter-attack * 
counter-attack 
counter- attack 



* Against open attack. 



130 THE MINOR TACTICS OB CMRS^. 

of the other elements of their composition, 
for which purpose we use both numerals and 
letters in the classification, in a manner that 
will explain itself to the student. 

The open primary base lA (Fig. 33) is, 
as already stated, the most efficient disposi- 
tion of the forces in the open game. It 
belongs properly to the first player ; but if, 
through errors of his adversary, the second 
player can obtain it, the latter will thereby 
secure a decided advantage in the opening. 
The second player should not originally en- 
deavor to obtain this formation, but should 
content himself with one of those primary 
bases which properly belong to Blacky aim- 
ing at the more efficient development only 
after he has completed the less efficient, and 
then only when the adversary has committed 
serious errors in minor tactics. The functions 
of the several pieces in the primary base i A 
are herewith described, with other obser- 
vations which, it is to be understood, unless 
otherwise stated, are intended to apply only 
to the opening of a game : — 

{a) QRP and KRP remain unmoved, in 
order to command QKt3 and KKt3, re- 
spectively, and thus to prevent the posting 
of adverse pieces on those points, where 
hostile forces would gravely endanger the 
security of the kindred position. If, from 
the position of Fig. 2)Z^ QRP or KRP were 
moved, either one or two steps, there would 



PRIMARY BASES, 131 

be created, at Q Kt 3 and K Kt 3, respectively, 
what we shall call an uncovered point, by 
which term we characterize a point in the 
kindred position which cannot be guarded 
by a kindred P. The advance of Q R P or 
KRP one step, in order to command QKt4 
or KKt4, respectively, and thus to prevent 
the posting of an adverse piece at one of 
those points, is a common error, against 
the commission of which the student of mi- 
nor tactics is particularly warned. With a 
properly constructed primary base the first 
player guards Q Kt 4 by means of Q B P at 
QB3, and renders the advance of QRP 
quite unnecessary ; and in any event neither 
player has much to fear, if his position is 
sound, from the entrance of an adverse piece 
at QKt4 or KKt4, — certainly not nearly so 
much as from the establishment of adverse 
force on an uncovered point at QKt3 or 
KKt3. In general, moreover, the advance 
of QRP or KRP tends to weaken the P 
line, by prematurely withdrawing some of its 
reserve support from the normal P base ; 
and a strong player will frequently take ad- 
vantage of such an advance at once, by in- 
stituting an attack against the weakened wing 
Ps. Even if the adversary has posted a piece 
at yourQKt4 or KKt4, you should not has- 
tily attempt to dislodge it by playing QRP 
- QR3 or KRP - KR3, for usually he will 
gain more from the weakening of your P line 



132 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

than he loses by the loss of time entailed 
upon him by the retreat of his own piece. 
On the other hand, you may occasionally gain 
valuable time, or else compel an exchange fa- 
vorable to yourself, by attacking with Q R P 
or KRP an adverse piece posted at QKt4 
or KKt4; whether or not you should play 
QRP- QR3 or KRP- KR3 in such a 
position depends on circumstances which 
cannot be properly discussed in this ele- 
mentary treatise, but which will be eluci- 
dated, the authors hope, in subsequent 
volumes on major tactics and grand tactics. 
What is here said concerning QRP and 
KRP applies to those pieces equally in any 
of the open primary bases. 

i^b) QKt P remains unmoved as the base 
P of the first sahent, and it should never be 
advanced in any of the primary bases that 
include this salient. It may sometimes, 
however, in the event of the exchange of 
Q B P, take the place of that P ; for example, 
if Black should advance his QKtP to bis 
QKt 5, and should then play QKtP X 
QB P, your best reply in the position of Fig. 
33, or in a similar position, would in general 
be, not Q X P or KKt x P, but QKtP X P. 
Then, to be sure, Q Kt P would be absent 
from your primary base ; but you must re- 
member that in order to create this defect 
in your position Black must have created a 
much greater one in his own. The student 



PRIMARY BASES. 1 33 

is especially cautioned against the direct 
advance of Q Kt P either one or two steps 
in the open game. 

(^) K Kt P remains unmoved in order 
to prevent the entrance of an adverse radius 
of offence by way of the KB's minor diago- 
nal or the KKt's vertical, and also to leave 
the point 'fcKt3 open for KKt early in the 
mid-game, or, in some instances, even in the 
opening (cf. p. 138). The P unit consist- 
ing of KRP at KR2 and KKtP at KKt2 
is an essential element of the defence of K 
after castling (KR), and therefore must be 
preserved intact, at least until the initiation 
of the mid-game. 

(^) QBP at QB3, is, as we have already 
stated, the key of the general P position in 
the open game. It guards against the post- 
ing of an adverse piece at QKt4 or Q4, and 
the entrance of an adverse radius of offence 
by way of the K's major diagonal toward Ki ; 
it also supports QP, or, if QP is exchanged, 
it supports a superior piece at Q4. If Black, 
after playing KP-K4 (as he does in the 
open defence), or QBP-QB4 (as he does in 
the close counter-attack to the open attack) , 
should play KP x QP or QBP x QP, you 
should recapture with a superior piece in 
preference to QBP; in order that you may 
be able to do this without disadvantage when- 
ever occasion arises, you must bring to bear 
on Q 4 as many radii of defence as may be 



134 'I^HE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

necessary. The advance of QBP two steps 
is never advisable in the development of the 
open game, for either White or Black. 

(<?)QP at Q 4 is a most important element 
of the open primary base, constituting the 
vertex P of the first salient. It is peculiarly 
subject to attack on the part of the adver- 
sary, for which reason its proper defence 
presents features of considerable difficulty. 
It prevents the entrance of an adverse radius 
of offence by way of the KKt's major diag- 
onal toward KKt i, and commands K5 so as 
to permit the advance of KP early in the 
mid-game, or in the event of an accidental 
line of attack in the centre or on the K's 
side. If the adversary plays correctly, how- 
ever, you will hardly be able to maintain 
QP at Q4, but will probably be compelled to 
exchange Q P for his K P or Q B P, in which 
case, as stated in the observations on QBP, 
you should strive to replace Q P by a superior 
piece. One of the most common errors of 
the so-called standard openings is the estab- 
lishment of QBP, by an exchange, at Q4 ; 
this process leaves the primary base defec- 
tive in respect to the absence of its very 
corner-stone, QB P at QB 3. Even with this 
defect in the position, the cluster of advanced 
central Ps is, without doubt, strong; never- 
theless, the student of this theory is strenu- 
ously urged to adopt the correct plan of 
maintaining QB P at its proper post at QB '^^ 



PRIMARY BASES, I 35 

and, if possible, of posting a superior piece, in 
lieu of QF, at Q4, The difficulty of doing 
this against the best play of the defence, the 
authors do not deny ; on account of the 
manifold variations of the game, however, we 
do not attempt in this volume to show how 
in all contingencies the difficulty may be ob- 
viated, but content ourselves for the present 
with repeating the general declaration that 
the student should construct his positions as 
nearly as he can in conformity with the 
models and according to the principles that 
are laid down for his guidance. It may be 
remarked that when the exchange of QP be- 
comes inevitable, it is frequently better for 
you to make the first capture than to permit 
the adversary to make it. It is also impor- 
tant to remember that the absence of QP is 
the less injurious after the exchange of the 
adverse KB, when an adverse radius of of- 
fence may be directed along the KKt's major 
diagonal only by Q, and such a radius of 
offence may generally be repelled or inter- 
cepted with advantage by one of your less 
valuable pieces ; it is therefore well to seek 
the exchange of the adverse KB for your 
Q B or one of your Kts in these situations. 
The advance of QP to Q5 is not justifiable 
before the mid-game, except in connection 
with an accidental line of attack ; and this 
advance is usually much less seldom advis- 
able than that of KP to Kj. 



136 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

(/) KP at K4 is, as a rule, the first foun- 
dation stone that you lay in building your open 
primary base. Its advance another step is a 
menace that the adversary must guard against, 
but you must not hurry the advance, inas- 
much as the threat is frequently more effec- 
tive than its execution. KP-K5 is not es- 
sentially a manoeuvre of minor tactics, but is 
a play that appertains properly to the mid- 
game ; and seldom should the move be 
made earher, except as an accompaniment of 
an accidental line of attack, when it may be 
very powerful. If the adversary attempts to 
exchange or dislodge KP by means of QP- 
Q4orKBP-KB4, you have the choice of 
three replies — to capture Q P or K B P 
with KP at once, to advance KP to K5, or 
to maintain K P at K4 by the support of other 
pieces ; of these three methods the last is by 
far the best, if the exigencies of the situation 
permit you to adopt it, and the second is the 
least frequently advisable. It has been stated 
in a note to the second illustrative game 
(p. 79), that the advance of QP to Q4 by 
Black, if it can be made without material 
loss, and if it is made judiciously and at the 
proper moment, nearly always turns the game 
in his favor ; this is on account of the disturb- 
ance of White's KP, which, therefore. White 
must strive to prevent or counteract, either 
by rendering Black unable to advance QP to 
Q 4 without material loss, or else by so sup- 



PRIMARY BASES. 1 37 

porting KP that an attack upon it will be of 
no avail. The removal of K P before castling 
is dangerous, because it permits the opera- 
tion of an adverse radius of offence against 
K along the vertical toward Ki. 

[g) KBP at KB 4 occupies the best post 
for offensive purposes that it can occupy in the 
open game, after castling (KR). By its ad- 
vance KR is released, and if its exchange 
can be effected KR will operate a radius of 
offence against KB 7, the most vulnerable 
point in the objective plane. At the same 
time, in conjunction with QKt at KB 3, it 
covers White's own position on the K's side. 
It contemplates, in the mid-game, the further 
advance of KBP to K B 5 and K B 6, sup- 
ported by KP and superior pieces ; and the 
successful accompHshment of this advance al- 
most invariably means the winning of the 
game. KBP and QP cooperate with each 
other, so as to secure, by the exchange of one, 
the posting and maintenance of the other in the 
fourth horizontal. It is a common practice of 
the first player, therefore, to play KBP-KB4 
as the second move of the game, whereupon, 
if Black reply with KPxKBP, White may 
speedily establish QP at Q4, and, whether 
Black effects the capture or not. White ob- 
tains an immediate attack, against which the 
defence is very difficult ; nevertheless, this 
theory is opposed to so early an advance of 
KBP, which, as we have said, should be de- 
layed until after castling (KR), 



138 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS, 

{h) KKt at K2 supports QBP at QB3, 
QP at Q4 and KB P at KB 4, and contem- 
plates KKt -KKt 3 early in the mid-game; 
its most important purpose, however, is the 
support of QP at Q4, which point it may- 
occupy in the event of the exchange of Q P. 
K2 is the proper post for KKt: this piece 
must be developed very early in the open- 
ing so as to permit castling (KR) ; if it is 
brought out at K B 3, it obstructs the advance 
of KBP, and its establishment at KR3 is 
not only ineffective, but positively harm- 
ful, as it immediately becomes exposed to 
the radius of offence of the adverse QB. 
In order not to obstruct KB, the move of 
KKt-K2 must naturally be made subse- 
quently to that of KB-Q3. 

(/) Q Kt at KB 3 occupies the post that 
is in common practice assigned to K Kt, but 
which properly belongs to Q Kt, because the 
development of Q Kt may be delayed until 
after the advance of KBP, whereas that of 
KKt may not. However, QKt should be 
moved to Q 2 as early as practicable, in 
order that it may cover the K's wing at 
KB 3, even before the advance of KBP, if 
necessary, in the event of an adverse assault. 
The functions of Q Kt at K B 3, besides cov- 
ering the K's wing, are to support Q P and 
attack the adverse KP, and contemplating 
one of the mid-game moves of QKt - KR4, 
Q Kt - KKt 5, or Q Kt - K 5. Q Kt, as well 



PRIMARY BASES. 1 39 

as K Kt, may occupy Q 4 if Q P is removed. 
A very valuable property of the two Kts is 
that they support each other when one of 
them has replaced QP at Q4, and the other 
is at Its proper post. In order to get Q Kt 
to K B 3, you must move it first to Q 2, and 
in order not to obstruct QB you must move 
QB to K3 before Q Kt to Q 2. In regard 
to our plan of Kt development, the authors 
desire it to be understood that they do not 
altogether condemn the ordinary method of 
playing K Kt - K B 3, Q Kt - Q B 3, and 
QKt - K2, but consider it theoretically in- 
ferior to the method which they recommend. 

(y) KB at Q 3 supports K P and contem- 
plates, in the mid-game, by the advance or 
exchange of K P, the operation of a radius 
of offence against KR7, which point, after 
Black has castled (KR), is in the objective 
plane. It also prevents the entrance of an 
adverse radius of offence along the KB's 
major diagonal toward KB i, but the diago- 
nal along which its force is the most valuable 
and efficient is the Q Kt's major diagonal ; 
for which reason, you will observe and re- 
member, K B may be advantageously posted, 
in the final condition of the primary base, 
either at Q B 2 or Q Kt i, though not so ad- 
vantageously as at Q 3. 

{k) Q B at K 3 occupies the only point 
to which it may be effectively deployed in the 
opening, unless by the exchange of Q P or 



I40 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS. 

K B P it may replace one of those Ps at Q 4 or 
K B4. The common error of playmg QB - 
K Kt 5 early in the game, we have already 
treated at length in a note on the first illus- 
trative game (see p. 61). QBatK3 sup- 
ports K B P and Q P, or another piece at the 
latter point ; or, if Q 4 is unoccupied, it re- 
pels any radius of offence directed along the 
KKt's major diagonal toward KKti. Con- 
cerning the combined value and the respective 
values of the two B's, and the inadvisability, 
in general, of exchanging one of them, we have 
already made some observations (p. 62), 
which we need not repeat here ; but we do 
again urge the student always to bear in 
mind the value of the combined Bs, and, 
having both on the board, to permit the ex- 
change of one of them only when by so doing 
he will obtain an advantage in position that 
outweighs the loss of material. An instance 
of the latter contingency, which may possibly 
arise in the construction of the present pri- 
mary base, will be explained in connection 
with the open primary base 4 A (p. 155). 

(/) K R at K B 1 exercises an offensive 
force in the direction of the objective plane ; 
it becomes extremely effective after the ex- 
change of K B P, and supports the advance 
of that P, both on its initial move and after- 
ward, when, in the mid-game, it may be 
thrown still further forward to K B 5 and 
KB 6. For the purpose of an accidental 



PRIMARY BASES, I4I 

line of attack in the opening KR may be 
moved to K i, but for the legitimate pur- 
poses of the opening that point is better oc- 
cupied by QR than by K R. As R is, in 
general, most effective when it occupies the 
base of an open vertical, — that is, a vertical 
from which the kindred P has been removed ; 
it may, therefore, be frequently advisable to 
deploy the Rs in the opening, from their 
usual posts, in order to command such open 
verticals. The most important occasion for 
this manoeuvre is the absence of both QP 
and K P, when K R should be posted at K i, 
and QR at Q I. It may be stated also, that 
in the event of the opening of the K Kt's 
vertical, which may occur through injudicious 
play on the part of the adversary, the strong- 
est post for K R, after the removal of K to 
KRi, is KKt I. 

(^m) QR at Kl exercises an offensive 
force in the direction of the objective plane 
previous to the adverse K being castled 
(KR), and supports the centre of the kin- 
dred position both for defence and in con- 
templation of offensive operations in the 
mid-game. If QP has been exchanged, QR 
should be posted at Q i instead of K i. An- 
other excellent post for Q R, if Q Kt P has 
been exchanged, is at Q Kt i . Q R, hav- 
ing been developed at Ki, may be moved 
early in the mid-game to K 2 ; and then the 
Rs may be doubled, either on the K B's or 



14^ I^HB MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS, 

on the K's vertical, by following, accordingly, 
with Q R to K B 2 or K R to K I. 

{n) Q is best posted at Q2, operating 
radii of defence in support of Q Kt P, Q B P, 
Q P and K B P, and being itself protected by 
Q B P, Q P and K B P from the attack of ad- 
verse radii of offence. This most powerful 
piece may not with impunity be exposed to 
the attack of the adverse pieces, and it is too 
valuable to be exchanged for any one of them 
except the adverse Q itself, and when attacked 
by the adversary it must ordinarily retreat at 
the cost of time. Q should, as a rule, sup- 
port, rather than lead, the attack; and for 
this purpose it cannot be better posted than 
at Q2. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of the open primary base 
I A, from which, however, deviation will 
be rendered necessary by the adversary's 
play, is: i. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q4; 
3. QBP-QB3; 4. KB-Q3; 5. KKt- 
K2; 6. Castles (KR) ; 7. QB-K3; 
8. QKt-Q2; 9. KBP-KB4; 10. QKt- 
KB3; II. Q-Q2; 12. QR-Ki. 

The open primary base IB (Fig. 34) 
differs from the preceding (see p. 129) only 
in that it contains the second instead of the 
first open B unit ; that is, K B is posted at 
Q B 4 instead of at Q 3. 

The functions of all the pieces except 
KB are the same in this primary base as 



PRIMARY BASES, 



H3 



Fig. 34. 

(Black.) 



mm, ^^^^^^ ^ 






iXfii a fal M 

■ m B^H 
r p if a 



Open Primary Base i B. 



they are in i A. K B at Q B 4 operates a 
radius of offence against the objective plane 
both before and after Black has castled 
(KR), and for the same purpose it may be 
posted with no less effect at QKt3. If, 
however, in the position of Fig. 34, KB 
be forced to retreat, it should be moved, 
not to QKt3, but to Q3, thus perfecting the 
primary base i A. The defects of K B at 
Q B 4 are three : namely, the B is unsup- 
ported ; it is subject to the attack of the 
adverse Q P ; and it leaves K P without the 
support, which, at Q 3, KB affords. 



144 ^^^ MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves 
in the construction of this primary base is : 

I. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q4; 3. QBP- 
QB3; 4. KB-QB4; 5. KKt-K2; 6. 
Castles (KR); 7. QB - K3 ; 8. QKt- 
Q2; 9. KBP-KB4; 10. QKt-KB3; 

II. Q- Q2 ; 12. QR- Ki. 

The open primary base IC (Fig. 35) 
differs from i A. in that it contains the 
second instead of the first open Kt unit, and 
the second instead of the first open Q unit ; 
that is, QKt is posted at Q2 instead of at 
KB 3; and Q at QB2 instead of at Q2. 



Fig. 35. 

(Black.) 



^^^^ 



^^mm^^-m 



^^ ^ 

y/. y//M ^^ 






{White,) 
Open Primary Base i C. 



PRIMARY BASES. 14$ 

Like the preceding primary base, this one 
is to be regarded as an incomplete form of 
I A, although it possesses different proper- 
ties, the chief of which is that in this 
primary base KP is more strongly supported 
than it was in i A. Its chief defects are the 
undefended QB and the less securely pro- 
tected Q. Q at QB2 is strongly posted for 
the mid-game on account of its support of 
KB in directing radii of offence toward 
KR7, a point in the objective plane, but 
this advantage is more than offset by the 
defects of the position. The student must 
remember that in the opening of the 
game the first player's energies are de- 
manded for the support of the centre of 
the position, and chiefly for the support 
of Q P at Q 4 ; and for this purpose the 
open primary base i A is obviously superior 
to iC. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : 
I. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q4; 3. QBP- 
QB3; 4. KB-Q3; 5. KKt-K2; 6. 
Castles (KR) ; 7. QB-K3; 8. QKt - 
Q2; 9. Q - QB2; 10. QR - Ki ; II. 
KBP-KB4. It is somewhat easier to 
approximate to this formation than to i A 
or I B, because the advance of KBP may 
be delayed until the last move. By now 
playing 12. QKt - KB3 and 13. Q - Q2, 
we obtain the perfect formation. 



146 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

The open primary base 2 A (Fig. 36) 
differs from i A in that it contains the second 
instead of the first open P integral ; that is, 
KBP is posted at KB 2 instead of at KB 4. 

Fig. 36. 
(Black.) 



m 



M 



^— "e 



■^mi^'m 



^^ yM/A., 



mm WM""%WS ^ 



I m&MMm 



[White.) 
Open Primary Base 2 A. 



This is a very powerful position, whose 
only defect, as compared with the perfect 
formation, is the confinement of KR. Its 
further development in the mid-game may 
be effected by the moves QKt-Ks and 
KBP - KB 4, after which the position is the 
same as that which most commonly results 
from the open primary base i A by means of 



PRIMARY BASES. 1 4/ 

the move QKt-K5: the objection that 
was made (p. 138) to the development of 
K Kt at K B 3 does not apply to this form of 
primary base, but the objection that was 
made to the development of Q Kt by way of 
QB3 does apply. It is better, therefore, to 
consider the Kt unit even here, as well as in 
the preceding primary bases, as formed by 
the moves KKt - K2, QKt-Q2 and 
QKt - KB3, rather than by KKt - KB 3, 
QKt- OB3 and QKt- K2. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves 
in the construction of this primary base is : 
I. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q4; 3. QBP- 
QB3; 4. KB-Q3; 5. KKt - K2; 
6. Castles (KR); 7. QB-K3;8. QKt- 
Q2; 9. QKt-KB3; 10. Q-Q2; 11. 
QR-Ki. 

The open primary base 2B (Fig. 37), 
differs from the foregoing only in that it con- 
tains the second instead of the first open 
B unit; that is, KB is posted at QB4 
instead of at Q3. 

The observations previously made (p. 142) 
on KB at QB4 apply here. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : 
I. KP-K4; 2. QP~Q4; 3. QBP- 
QB3; 4. KB-QB4; 5. KKt-K2; 
6. Castles (KR) ; 7. QB-K3; 8. QKt- 
Q2; 9. QKt-KB3; 10. Q-Q2; 11. 
QR-Ki. 



148 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



Fig. 37. 
(Black.) 



mm ^^W^ ^^ 



'///w/A y///////A p 

<^ "^WZ/y 



vm m 



m... ,«.. 



m,„ ,« 



^^^^.^'^^m^'^^^ '^^ 



w.mMam, ■ 



1^81 B^#^Bi^i^Si 



Open Primary Base 2 B. 

The open primary base 2 C (Fig. 38) 
differs from 2 A in that it contains the second 
instead of the first open Kt unit, and the 
second instead of the first open Q unit; 
that is, Q Kt is posted at Q 2 instead of at 
KB 3, and Q at QB2 instead of at Q2. 

The observations previously made (p. 145) 
on QKt at Q2 and Q at QB2 apply here. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves 
in the construction of this primary base is : 
I. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q4; 3. QBP- 
QB3; 4. KB-Q3; 5. KKt-K2; 
6. Castles (KR) ; 7. QB-K3; 8. QKt« 
Q2; 9. Q-QB2; 10. QR-Ki. 



PRIMARY BASES. 



149 



Fig. 38. 
(Black.) 



^'mT^'^m. 



%?„ 



^^ Vw»J"» 



m. fmMJM.. 



y/z/k'' 



jBweiwa^lfii 



( White.) 
Open Primary Base 2 C. 

The open primary base 3 (Fig. 39) is 
most similar to i C and 2 C, from which it 
differs only in that it contains the third in- 
stead of the first or second open P integral ; 
that is, K B P is posted at K B 3 instead of 
at K B 4, as it is in i C, or at K B 2, as it is 
in 2 C. 

In the observations upon the third open 
P integral (p. 109) we said all that need be 
said concerning K B P at K B 3. This for- 
mation is the strongest possible for defensive 
purposes. It may be converted into the 
open primary base i C by the move K B P ^ 
KB4. 



150 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 
Fig. 39. 
(Black.) 



w^-^?^^^^ 



■ I! AB A fc 









■I 



iia/il 



1^ 



Open Primary Base 3. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves 
m the construction of this primary base is : 

I. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q4; 3. QBP- 
QB3; 4. KB- Q3; 5. KKt - K2; 
6. Castles (KR); 7. KBP-KB3; 8. 
QB-K3; 9. QKt-Q2; 10. Q-QB2; 

II. QR - Ki. 

The open primary base 4 A (Fig. 40) is 
of an entirely different nature from any of the 
foregoing, and we shall therefore treat it in 
detail as we did i A. 

This primary base is the most efficient forma- 
tion that the second or defending player can 
usually obtain in the open game. Its general 



PRIMARY BASES, 
Fig. 40. 
{Black.) 



151 






r 



L ■ fi4» 



( White,) 
Open Primary Base 4 A. 

purpose is a counter-attack, strong and ac- 
curate, not in the opening, but early in the 
mid-game. It belongs properly to the sec- 
Dnd player, as the primary bases already de- 
scribed belong properly to the first. If the first 
player adopts this formation, the second player 
is frequently able to obtain one of the primary 
bases that belong properly to the first, and 
thereby to obtain an advantage in the open- 
ing. In using the board and men in connec- 
tion with Fig. 40, the student should have the 
black pieces toward him, and regard him- 
self as the second player. The functions of 
the several pieces in this primary base are as 
follows ; — 



152 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

{a) QRP, KP, KBP, KKtP, KRP, 
KR, Q R and Q exercise essentially the same 
functions here that they do in the open pri- 
mary base I A (cf. pp. 130-142). 

(^) Q Kt P remains unmoved both as a 
support for Q Kt at Q B 3 and in order to 
maintain the integrity of the Q's wing Ps, the 
disturbance of which weakens the general P 
line. If the adversary captures your Q Kt 
with his K B or one of his Kts, as he may 
sometimes do, if he adopts an inferior form 
of opening, or if he precipitates the attack 
of the mid-game, you should as a rule recap- 
ture with the Q Kt P ; the doubled P on the 
Q B's vertical is not then a disadvantage, for 
it strengthens the centre of the position and 
leaves the open Q Kt's vertical as an avenue 
through which you may advantageously ope- 
rate the force of Q R. 

{c) Q B P remains unmoved as the base 
of the third sahent, in order to support Q P 
at Q 3. If the adversary gives you an oppor- 
tunity to adopt a superior form of primary 
base, you may prepare for the advance of 
Q B P one step by moving Q Kt to K 2. 

{d) QPatQS supports KP, and should 
generally replace it if the adversary cap- 
tures K P with Q P or KBP. If, however, 
you can post a piece at K 4 in place of K P, 
without losing time by having to withdraw it, 
you must obtain an advantage. You should 
advance Q P one step further, to Q 4, as soon 



PRIMARY BASES. I 53 

as the adversary affords you an opportunity 
to do so without the risk of material loss. 
If you can effect this advance, and either 
before or afterward post Q B P at Q B 3, with 
QKt at K 2, you will obtain a position that 
is identical with the open primary base i B 
(Fig. 34) ; but you should remember with 
reference to this manoeuvre what was said 
(p. 106) in regard to the use of Q P and 
Q B P in the construction of the first open P 
integral. 

{e) KKt at K B 3 exercises the same func- 
tions that Q Kt at K B 3 does in the preced- 
ing primary bases, except that instead of 
supporting Q P at Q4, it merely directs a 
radius of defence upon that point, thus pro- 
viding for the future advance of Q P if a 
favorable opportunity arises. The student 
will readily perceive that K Kt must be 
posted at KB 3 before castling (KR), and 
after the advance of K B P to K B 4 ; in this 
form of opening, therefore, it is necessary to 
advance KBP before castling, and this cir- 
cumstance presents the most considerable 
difficulty that arises in the construction of 
this primary base, in which the position of 
KBP is the chief offensive feature. 

(/) QKt at QB3 defends KP, and inter- 
cepts an adverse radius of offence directed 
toward Q2 and Ki along the K's major 
diagonal ; but its most important function is 
to hinder the advance of White's Q P two 



154 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Steps, by operating a radius of offence 
against Q 5 . In the event of an accidental 
line of attack on the Q's side, Q Kt may be 
played to Q R 4 or Q Kt 5 ; but its natural 
development in the mid-game is by way of 
K 2 to KKt3. As already implied in the 
observations on Q B P, you should move Q Kt 
to K 2 even in the opening, if you find an 
opportunity for the estabhshment of the first 
open P integral by means of the moves 
QBP- QB3 and QP- Q4. 

(^) KB at QB4 occupies an offensive 
post, and plays an important part in the 
counter-attack contemplated in this form of 
primary base, as it does in the attack in the 
open primary base i B (cf. p. 143) ; but it 
also cooperates with KP and QKt to hinder 
the estabhshment of the adverse Q P or an 
adverse superior piece at Q5, in which re- 
spect it is an essential in the defensive 
operations of the position. At QKt 3 it is 
equally effective, both for offensive and for 
defensive purposes. 

{K) QB at K3 is even more important for 
the defence than for the attack (cf. p. 139), 
as it is the only available means of repelling 
an adverse radius of offence along the KKt's 
major diagonal toward KKti, the position 
of K after casthng (KR). If, in the con- 
struction of the primary base, White ex- 
changes one of his superior pieces (generally 
K B) for your QB at K3, you should recap- 



PRIMARY BASES. 155 

ture with K B P, thus strengthening the centre 
of your position and opening the K B's verti- 
cal for KR; even if White's KB is already 
posted at your QB5, you should move QB 
to K 3, offering the exchange, and then, in 
general, you should maintain your position, 
allowing the adversary to make the first cap- 
ture if he so desires. In order to be able 
securely to post QB at K3 it will be advis- 
able for you to hold back K B P until after 
the development of Q B. 

(/) In regard to the position of Q at Q2, 
where it supports the contingent advance of 
QP to Q4, it is well that the student should 
be warned against the posting of Q at K 2, 
where it obstructs the contingent transfer of 
Q Kt to that point. Moreover, it is wrong in 
principle to post Q at K2 before castling 
(KR), because in that position it is exposed 
to the danger of being pinned (cf. p. 61) 
in front of K by one of the adverse Rs ; it 
may be necessary to develop Q early in this 
form of opening, so as to support QB at K3, 
and Q must therefore be posted at Q2, and 
not at K 2. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of the open primary base 
4Ais: I. KP-K4; 2. QKt-QB3; 

3. KB-QB4; 4. QP-Q3; 5. QB- 

K3; 6. Q-Q2; 7. KBP-KB4; 8. 
KKt-KB3; 9. Castles (KR) ; 10. QR-. 
Ki. 



156 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



The open primary base 4B (Fig. 41) 
differs from the foregoing (4 A) only in that 
it contains the third instead of the second 
open B unit ; that is, K B is posted at K 2 
instead of at QB4. 

Fig. 41. 

[Black.) 






■%li 

■ ■ ll^ii 



^^^^™^^^.^^M^/^^ 



( White.) 
Open Primary Base 4 B. 

In this formation K B occupies a purely 
defensive post, and besides this detail of in- 
feriority the primary base is comparatively 
defective because QKt cannot immediately 
be moved to K 2 ; on the other hand, by de- 
ploying KB to K2, the player is enabled to 
complete the salient much earlier in the 
opening than he can in the open primary 
base 4 A. 



PRIMARY BASES. 



157 



The perfect theoretical order of moves ir 
the construction of this primary base is : i 
KP-K4; 2. QP-Q3; 3. QKt-QB3; 
4. QB-K3; 5. Q-Q2; 6. KB-K2; 
7. KBP-KB4; 8. KKt-KB3; 9. 
Castles (KR) ; 10. QR- Ki. 

The open primary base 5 A (Fig. 42) 
differs from 4 A in that it contains the fifth 
instead of the fourth open P integral ; that 
is, K B P is posted at K B 2 instead of at 
KB4. 

Fig. 42. 
(Black.) 



ieiii*fii'il 
■%ii±rii ^ 
■_■_% 



WW 



p 
m, mm 



( While.) 
Open Primary Base 5 A. 



This formation is essentially defensive, and 
its properties are clear from what was said 



158 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



in reference to the open primary base 4 A. 
The position is more easily obtained than any 
of the foregoing primary bases. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : 
T. KP-K4; 2. QKt-QB3; 3. KB- 
QB4; 4. QP-Q3; 5- KKt-KBs; 
6. Castles (KR) ; 7. QB-K3; 8. Q- 
Q2; 9. QR- Ki. 

The open primary base 5B (Fig. 43) 
differs from the^ foregoing (5 A) in that it 
contains the third instead of the second open 
B unit ; that is, K B is posted at K 2 instead 
of at Q B 4. 

Fig. 43. 

[Black] 



m 4 ■«« * ■ 






■_»_^lii^ 



"mm. ^^M^^ % 









[White.) 
Open Primary Base 5 B. 



PRIMARY BASES. I 59 

This formation, like 5 A, is purely defen- 
sive, and Its properties need no further ex- 
planation. It is the most easily constructed 
and the least efficient of all the open primary 
bases. For all that, however, the student is 
asked to remember that it is a thoroughly 
scientific position and the basis for a strong 
defence, even against the most powerful ad- 
verse play. Having obtained this primary 
base, the second player may aim to develop 
the position in the mid-game by the moves 
QP-Q4, KB-Q3, QKt-K2, QBP- 
QB3, KKt-K5, and KBP-KB4, thus 
arriving at the same position that arises from 
the open primary base i A after the mid- 
game move, QKt - K5. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : 
I. KP-K4; 2. QP-Q3; 3. QKt- 
QB3; 4. KKt-KB3; 5. KB-K2; 
6. Casdes (KR); 7. QB-K3; 8. Q- 
Q2; 9. QR-Ki. 

The close primary base 1 (Fig. 44) is 
composed of the first close P integral, the 
first close Kt unit, the first close B unit, the 
first close R unit, and the first close Q unit. 
It is the most efficient disposition of the 
forces both for attack and for defence in the 
close game. 

The functions of the several pieces in 
the construction of this primary base are as 
follows : — 



l6o THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 



Fig. 44- 
(Black ) 



mimimfm 



„il%fc.„ijM., ■ 



■mfiWfm » 



Close Primary Base i. 

(^a) KRP and KKtP remain unmoved 

in order to cover K and preserve the integ- 
rity of the normal P base, as in the open 
primary bases (cf. pp. 130, 133). 

{b) KB P remains unmoved as the base 
of the second saUent, which is the funda- 
mental unit of the first close P integral. 
The advance of K B P leaves K P weak, and 
is attended by no favorable circumstances in 
this form of opening. 

(c) KP at K3 is the key of the general 
P line, as QBPatQB3 is in the primary 
bases of the open attack. It supports QP 
at Q4, closes the K's vertical and the QB's 



PRIMARY BASES. l6l 

major diagonal against the entrance of ad- 
verse radii of offence, and prevents the 
posting of an adverse piece at KB 4. For 
the purposes of minor tactics, therefore, if 
the adversary captures QP it is better to 
recapture with a superior piece, other things 
being equal, than, by recapturing with KP, 
to withdraw that important P from its proper 
post ; on the other hand, the player should 
generally avoid the isolation of a P on the 
Q's or the QB's vertical, which may result 
from posting a superior piece in place of 
QP at Q4. It is seldom justifiable, though 
it is occasionally, to turn the position into an 
open one by advancing KP to K4 ; such an 
advance partakes of the character rather of 
an accidental line of attack than of a devel- 
oping move. 

{d) QP at Q4 should be maintained at 
that post throughout the development so 
long as there is no danger of the isolation of 
a P on the Q's or the QB's vertical, and' if 
the exchange of QP for the adverse QBP 
must be made, it is the first player, as a rule, 
who should effect the first capture. Never, 
except as an incident in an accidental line 
of attack, should QP be advanced to Q5. 
QP at Q4, in conjunction with K Kt at 
K B3, prevents the advance of the adverse 
K P to the adverse K 4, and also affords sup- 
port for the posting of K Kt at K 5 in the 
event of an accidental line of attack. Q4 



1 62 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS. 

is at once the chief point of attack and the 
most securely guarded point in the position. 

(<?) QBP at QB4 possesses properties 
and functions similar to those of QP at Q4, 
but is rather of an offensive nature, while 
QP at Q4 is essentially defensive. If the 
exchange of Q B P for the adverse QP must 
be made, it is the first player, as a rule, who 
should effect the first capture. 

(/) QKt P at Q Kt 3 is scarcely less im- 
portant than KP at K3 ; it supports QBP, 
and leaves QKt 2 open for the occupation 
of Q B. Q Kt P should not be advanced to 
QKt 4 in the opening, and if QBP is cap- 
tured by the adversary it should generally 
be replaced by a superior piece rather than 
by QKt P ; but upon this subject the student 
should compare what was said of KP at K3. 

(g) QRP remains unmoved as the base 
of the second auxiliary salient. Its main- 
tenance in the normal P base is enjoined 
upon the student. The only object of its 
advance is to prevent the adverse Q Kt from 
occupying QKt 4, but that is something 
which the player has no reason whatever to 
fear, if his position is properly constructed. 

{h) KKt at KB3 supports QP and 
operates important radii of offence against 
Ks and KKt5. KKt-Ks is the most 
common initial move of an accidental line of 
attack, or of the mid-game. 

(/) QKt at QB3 guards K4 against 



PRIMARY BASES, 1 63 

the entrance of an adverse piece, and ope- 
rates an important radius of offence against 
Q5. Its further development in the mid- 
game or in an accidental line of attack is 
najiirally on the Q's side, either at Q Kt 5 or 
atQR4. 

(/') KB at K 2 supports K Kt at K B 3 
against the possible attack of the adverse 
Q B. Its defensive position is superior to 
the offensive post at Q 3, moreover, because, 
at the latter point, KB would obstruct the 
operations of Q and KR along the Q's 
vertical. 

i^k) QB at Q Kt2 occupies essentially an 
offensive post, although in the opening it 
possesses strong defensive properties. If the 
QR's diagonal can be opened, QB operates 
an important radius of offence against the 
objective plane. It is to be obseTved that 
in the open game KB is the offensive, and 
Q B the defensive, B ; in the close game 
the functions of the Bs are 'reversed. 

(/) KR at Ql and QR at QBl operate 
force along the verticals that are most likely 
to be opened, by means of the exchange of 
Q P and Q B P. If the K's vertical is opened, 
KR may occupy K i instead of Q i ; but QR 
is efficiently posted only at Q B i, in order to 
control the Q B's vertical. 

{m) Q at Q2 occupies the only available 
post open for that piece. At Q B 2 or Q 3 
Q would be in danger of attack by the ad- 



164 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



verse Q Kt. At Q 2, however, Q and K R 
cooperate in the most effective manner for 
attack and defence along the important Q's 
vertical, and Q is covered by kindred pieces 
from the assault of any adverse force. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : i . 
QP-Q4; 2. KP-K3; 3. KKt-KB3; 
4. KB-K2; 5. Castles (KR) ; 6. QBP- 
QB4; 7. QKtP-QKt3;8. QKt-QB3; 
9.QB-QKt2; 10. Q-Q2; 11. QR- 
QB I ; 12. KR-Qi. 

The close primary base 2 (Fig. 45) 
differs from the foregoing (i) in that it con- 

Fig. 45 

(Black.) 



"¥ 






mm^m ' 

I liiB ■ 



mm. m. 



mm. ^^ 



^»'^»^^^^^ 



^ — ... 






( While.) 
Close Primary Ease ?. 



PRIMARY BASES, 1 65 

tains the second instead of the first close P 
integral, the third instead of the first close 
B unit, and the third instead of the first close 
Q unit ; that is, Q Kt P remains unmoved 
instead of being posted at Q Kt 3, Q B is 
posted at Q 2 instead of at Q Kt 2,' and Q is 
posted at Q Kt 3 instead of at Q 2. 

This close formation yields a safe defence 
and an effective counter-attack against the 
open attack of the first player. The func- 
tions of Q Kt P, Q B and Q, whose positions 
differ from their positions in the close 
primary base i, are as follows : — 

(^a) QKtP remains unmoved in order to 
permit Q to occupy Q Kt 3 and support 
Q B P in an offensive manner. 

(<^) QB is posted at the only available 
point, and may later occupy the strong de- 
fensive post at Ki, thus releasing the force 
of KR for operation along the Q's vertical. 

{c) Q at Q Kt 3, together with Q Kt at 
QB3, supports the attack of QBP upon the 
point Q 5, which in this form of opening is 
usually occupied by the adverse Q P. If 
White captures QBP with Q P, K B recap- 
tures, and becomes strongly posted for attack 
atQB4. If White so thoroughly supports 
his QP that its exchange is inadvisable, 
Black may advance QBP to QB5 as the 
initial move of an attack on the Q's side in 
the mid-game. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 



THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



the construction of this primary base is : 
I. KP-K3; 2. QP-Q4; 3. KKt- 
KB3; 4. KB-K2; 5. Castles (KR); 6. 
QBP-QB4; 7. QKt-QBs; 8. Q- 
QKt3; 9. QB-Q2; 10. QR-QBi; 11. 
KR-Qi. 

The close primary base 3 A (Fig. 46) is 
composed of the third close P integral, the 
first close Kt unit, the first close B unit, the 
second close R unit, and the second close Q 
unit. 

Fig. 46. 

{Black.) 



■JLM 4 ■ m 









m'^mim. 



'^^,Z. 



i ..ill ■, 



y/. y///WA ^m. y////m.,. 



WWa Wa 



1 



m. 



M ^^ 



( White,) 
Close Primary Base 3 A. 

The purpose of this formation in the close 
game is a counter-attack, which, from the 
nature of the P line, containing, as it does^ 



PRIMARY BASES, 1 67 

no angle ot resistance, is hazardous, and, 
though strong, scientifically defective. It is 
against the adverse K's side that the black 
force is concentrated, and the main elements 
of strength of the position are the advanced 
KBP, with KR supporting it; the open 
QKt's major diagonal, controlled by Q at 
Q B 2 ; and the long range of Q B, after the 
removal of Q Kt from Q B 3, along the open 
QR's diagonal. On the other hand, the 
chief defective element of the position is the 
weak Q P, whose advance to Q 4 would at 
once obstruct the offensive force of Q B and 
weaken K P. 

The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : 

I. KBP-KB4; 2. KP-K3; 3. KKt- 
KB 3; 4. KB-K2: 5. Castles (KR) ; 6. 
QBP-QB4; 7. QKtP-QKt3; 8. QKt 
-QB3; 9/QB-QKt2; 10. QR-QBi; 

II. Q~QB2. 

The close primary base 3B (Fig. 47) 
differs from the foregoing (3x\) only in that 
it contains the second instead of the first 
close B unit; that is, KB is posted at Q 3 
instead of at K2. 

For offensive purposes this formation is 
even stronger, and for defensive purposes 
even weaker, than 3 A. KB at Q 3 co-oper- 
ates powerfully with Q at Q B 2 in the direc- 
tion of radii of offence against KR 7, a point 
in the objective plane after the adverse K 



1 68 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



Fig. 47. 
(Black.) 



^furs 






«A«i«, m. 



W^ m 



ll«M4»J H 



i^^m...m. 



\ ^^^ 



Close Primary Base 3 B. 

has been castled (KR) ; but, at the same 
time, KB is not adequately supported by Q 
alone in so exposed a position as that at Q 3, 
where KB can neither be defended nor 
covered by a kindred P ; and, besides, the 
advance of QP, which may become necessary 
for the defence, is obstructed by KB atQ3. 
The perfect theoretical order of moves in 
the construction of this primary base is : 

I. KBP- KB4; 2. KP-K3; 3. KKt- 
KB3; 4. QBP-QB4; 5. Q-QB2; 6. 
KB-Q3; 7. Castles (KR); 8. Q Kt P - 
QKt3; 9. QKt-QB3; 10. QB-QKt2; 

II. QR-QBi. 



PRIMARY BASES. 1 69 

We have now given all the general informa- 
tion that is necessary to enable the student 
to understand the construction and the aims 
of the several primary bases, and in the 
illustrative games that follow we shall make 
such observations upon the details of minor 
tactics as our space may permit, together with 
such remarks upon the play of the mid-game 
as may be justified by the limitations of an 
elementary treatise. 

In conclusion the authors present the 
following 

Grand Law of Minor Tactics : 

If, in the opening of a game of chess, 
either player adopts, by choice or of neces- 
sity, any formation — unit, integral or pri- 
mary base — which properly belongs to the 
other player, the incident is favorable to 
Black. 



APPENDIX. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES. 

Game i. 

nPHE first game that we present is the con- 
eluding partie of the match between 
Messrs. Paul Morphy and Adolph Anderssen, 
which was played in Paris in December, 
1858. It illustrates the open primary base 
I A and an approximately correct method of 
obtaining that formation. 

White [Mr^ Morphy). Black (Mr. Anderssen). 

1. KP - K4. Indicating his intention to 
institute an attack by means of the establish- 
ment of one of the open primary bases that 
belong to the first player (cf. p. 136). 

1. KP - K3. Prepar- 
ing to oppose the open attack with the close 
counter-attack by means of the estabhsh- 
ment of the close primary base 2 (cf. p. 164). 

2. QP - Q4. Seizing the opportunity to 
form the first supporting parallel (cf. remarks 
on advance of QP in the first open P 
integral) . This unit of the P integral is gen- 



172 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

erally, of all the units in its composition, the 
most difficult to establish and maintain, but 
White's purpose in the present game is 
easily effected on account of Black's inferior 
method of defence. 

2. KKtP-KKt3. Ra- 
dically wrong in principle ; the K's extreme 
wing Ps^ (KKtP and KRP) must not be 
disturbed in the opening (cf. p. 160). 

3. KB - Q3. Although the establishment 
of the first open B unit before the comple- 
tion of the first salient, by the advance of 
Q B P one step, is permissible in this in- 
stance, the completion of the salient at once 

'is technically correct (cf. p. 142). 

3. KB-KKt2. This 
method of deploying KB is called a '' fian- 
chettoy It forms a part of no scientific B 
unit, because, first, it necessitates the weak- 
ening of the K's wing by the advance of 
K Kt P, and secondly, it withdraws K B from 
its major diagonal, along which, in the close 
formations, it exercises its normal functions 
(cf. p. 163). In this particular case, more- 
over, it renders impracticable the proper 
development of the second close P integral 
(see note on Black's next move). 

4. QB-K3. Completing the first open 
B unit. 

4. QBP-QB4. The 
uncovered point at Q 3 (cf. p. 131) and the 
separation of the Q's wing Ps created by 



APPENDIX. ' 173 

this premature advance are as unscientific 
as Black's plan of posting K B, because, with 
K B removed from its proper diagonal, the 
points Q3 and QB4 are left totally un- 
guarded. Furthermore, Black's plan allows 
White unrestrainedly to establish a nearly 
perfect primary base, and, once established, 
this all-powerful formation is bound to win 
with the exercise of ordinary care by the 
first player ; it is logically certain, therefore, 
that, against proper play on the part of the 
adversary, Black has already a lost game. 

5. QBP - QB3. Completing the first 
salient and the second open P integral. 

5. QBP X QP. Com- 
pelled now to make this exchange, Black's 
weakness in the centre is thereby intensified. 

6. QBP X P. White's two perfect units 
(the first supporting parallel and the first 
open B unit), taken in conjunction with 
Black's weakness in the centre, render the 
advantage of the former the more manifest. 
White recaptures with P instead of B in 
order to avoid the exchange of his well- 
posted QB for the adverse ill-posted KB. 

6. QKt - QB3. 

7. KKt - K2. Entirely in harmony with 
our theory, which demands the posting of 
K Kt at K 2, if possible, instead of at KB3 
(cf. p. 138), 

7. K Kt - K 2. Black 
has thus far persisted in his original plan of 



1/4 ^^^ MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

attempting to establish, though in an incor- 
rect manner, the close primary base 2, and 
now the consistent post for K Kt is at K B 3, 
giving the first close Kt unit, which properly 
enters into this formation. He changes his 
plan, however, contemplating the advance of 
KBP one step. There is but little more to 
be said concerning Black's play, for he strives 
in vain to relieve his embarrassment. 

8. Castles (KR). 8. Castles (KR). 

9. Q Kt - Q B 3. A feint against the weak- 
ness of the adverse centre, threatening Q Kt 
-QKts orQP-Q5. White plays thus, 
moreover, so as to leave the point Q 2 open 
for the occupation of Q, which cannot be 
posted at QB 2, forming the second close Q 
unit, because at that point Q would be sub- 
ject to the attack of the adverse QR along 
the open QB's vertical. Nevertheless, al- 
though White's strategic plan has its advan- 
tages, it is very doubtful whether it is not 
inferior to the straightforward estabhshment 
of the first open Kt unit by means of Q Kt - 
Q2 and QKt-KB3 (cf. p. 138), after 
KBP - KB 4. While the game is hereafter 
won in the ending, it might be won more 
speedily in the mid-game, if White were con- 
sistently to pursue the normal plan of devel- 
oping QKt at Q2, afterward reinforcing the 
K's side attack with that piece, instead of 
leaving it comparatively idle on the Q's 
wing. 



APPENDIX, 175 

9. QP - Q4. Neces- 
sary, to prevent the advance of the adverse 
QP to Q5 and Q6, which would plainly 
break Black's position asunder in the centre. 

10. K P - K 5. This advance at least 
temporarily locks up the forces on Black's 
Q's side, and cuts off the action of his K B 
against White's weak Q P. White's develop- 
ment is so nearly complete that any attempt 
by the adversary to break his centre must 
still further weaken the adverse K's side and 
improve White's opportunity for offensive 
operations against the objective plane. 

10. KB P- KB 3. Black 
immediately essays to free himself from the 
pressure of the attack upon his K's side. 

11. KBP - KB4. 11. KBP X KP. 

12. KBP X P. 12. QRP - QR3. 
Although the loss of time and weakening of 
the Q's wing entailed by this move are ap- 
parently necessitated by the adverse threat of 
QKt-QKt5 and QKt-Q6, still, it is 
questionable if Q Kt at Q 6 would be so effec- 
tive as QKt at KR4, whither it might have 
been moved, by way of K B3, if White had 
played 9. QKt - Q2. 

13. Q - Q 2. Completing the establish- 
ment of the essential units of the primary base, 
with a winning position. It is unnecessary 
to move QR, so as to form the first open 
R unit ; it is properly kept at Q R i until it 
may advantageously be played to KB i, to 



iy6 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

replace KR (see move 19). We present a 
diagram of the situation, showing White's 
primary base approximately perfected (of. 
Fig- 17>, P- 125)- 

Fig. 48. 
{Black.) 






w 'mm"T'wm \w' 

i mAim,^ '^' 









"m m^m,^^m 



m "' 



^^ 



{White.) 



13. QKt - QKt5. 

14. QB -KKt5. This move initiates the 
mid-game. 

14. Q Kt X KB. 

15. Q X QKt. 15. QB - Q2. 

16. Q - KR3. Directing radii of offence 
against KR 7, a point of the objective plane, 
and K6, the latter being merely a feint 
against that uncovered point. 

16. Q - Kl. 



APPENDIX. 177 

17. KKt-KKtS. 17. QR-QBl. 

18. KRXKRch. 18. Q X KR. 

19. QR - KBl. Gaining time by attack- 
ing the adverse Q with a piece of less poten- 
tial value, and directing a second radius of 
offence against the objective plane. In this 
game, as in the others of the open class that 
we give for purposes of illustration, the stu- 
dent's attention is earnestly called to the 
manner in which radii of offence are always 
operated against the objective plane in the 
winning process, whether the result is actual 
checkmate or only the gain of material suf- 
ficient to decide the issue. It is to be 
noted, with reference to White's i8th and 
19th moves, that he has demolished a por- 
tion (KR) of the adversary's defensive force, 
without diminishing the aggregate of force 
that he operates against the adverse posi- 
tion. 

19. Q -Kl. 

20. Q - KR4. 20. KKt - KB4. 

21. KKt X KKt. 21. KKtP X KKt. 
22 QR-KB3. 22. QB-QKt4. 

23. QR - KKt 3. Preparing to open an- 
other radius of offence against the objective 
plane by the removal of QB from the KKt's 
vertical. 

23. Q R - Q B 2c Di 
recting a radius of defence toward K Kt 2, 
which is about to become the focus of 
White's attack. 



178 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

24. Q B - K B 6. White now has three 
radii of offence acting upon the objective 
plane. 

24. KBP -KB 5. A 
futile attempt to relieve the pressure upon 
his position at the expense of a P ; but 
nothing can be done to save the game : e. g,, 
if 24. Q-KBi; 25. Q-KR6, 25. K- 
KRi ; 26. QR X KB, 26. QR X QR; 
27. QKtxQB, 27. QRPxQKt; 28. 
QB X QRch, 28. Q X QB; 29. Q x 
KP, etc. 

25. Q X K B P. 25. Q - K B 1. 

26. QKtX QB. 26. QRP X Q Kt. 

27. Q - K R 6. 27. K - K R 1. 

28. Q R X KB. 28. QR X QR. 

29. K - K B 2. 29. K - K Kt 1. 

30. Q X Q R ch. 30. Q X Q. 

31. QB X Q. 31. K X QB. 

32. K - KB3. Beginning the end-game. 

32. QKtP - QKt5. 

33. KKtP-KKt4. 33. K - K Kt 3. 

34. KRP-KR4. 34. QKtP -QKt4. 

35. K-K3. 35. QKtP-QKt6. 

36. QRP-QR3. 36. Resigns. 

For the benefit of the learner it may be 
stated that the Black K cannot be moved 
from the K's side in order to defend 
Q Kt Ps, toward which the white K is ap- 
proaching, for then the two white Ps on the 
K's wing would break through, and one of 
them would be speedily queened. 



APPENDIX. 179 

Game 2. 

The second illustrative game was played 
by Messrs. H. E. Bird and R. B. Brien in the 
Birmingham (Eng.) tournament of 1858. It 
illustrates the effectiveness of the open pri- 
mary base I A for the institution of a K's 
side attack. The method of its formation is 
inferior to that of the preceding game. 

White (Mr. Bird). Black [Mr. Brien). 

1. K P - K 4. 1. K P - K 3. 

2 Q P - Q 4. 2. Q P - Q 4. Com- 
pleting the second salient, attacking the ad- 
verse supporting parallel, and threatening to 
win the adverse K P. Black's play, render- 
ing the establishment of the adverse forma- 
tion as difficult as possible, is the correct 
course to be pursued by the second player. 

3. K P X Q P. In order to maintain the 
supporting parallel White would have to 
support KP by KB at Q3 or by Q Kt at 
QB3. Both these methods are objection- 
able : the former, because, after 3. K B - Q 3, 
3. QP X KPj 4. KB X P, 4. KKt - 
KB 3, White must lose time to avoid the 
exchange of K B ; the latter, because it ob- 
structs the completion of the first salient by 
temporarily preventing Q B P - Q B 3 . Again, 
the advance of K P to K 5 so early in the de- 
velopment is quite premature, as it becomes 
a point of attack before it can be adequately 



l80 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

supported. Therefore the third plan that he 
may adopt — namely, the exchange of Ps — 
is his best (cf. p. 136). 

3. KP X P. 

4. K B - Q 3. (See note on White's third 
move in Game i.) 

4. KKt-KB3. His 
proper course is to complete the first salient 
by QBP - QB 3, and, later, to post KKt at 
K2 if possible. 

5. K Kt - K B 3. The preceding note 
is applicable also to White's play here. 

5. KB - Q3. 

6. Castles (KR). 6. Castles (KR). 

7. Q B - K 3. 7. K R P - K R 3. 
a KKt-K5. 8. KR- Kl. 

9. KBP-KB4. 9. QRP-QR3. Not 
one of Black's last three moves conforms to 
the theory of minor tactics, and the student 
is warned against the commission of similar 
errors. 

10. Q Kt - Q 2. 10. Q Kt - Q B 3. 

11. Q B P - Q B 3. 11. Q Kt - K 2. 

12. Q Kt - K B 3. 12. Q Kt - K B 4. 

13. Q B - KB 2. Retreating in order to 
avoid the exchange, and in such a manner as 
still to command the K Kt's major diagonal 
(cf. p. 140). 

13. K Kt - K 5. 

14. Q - Q B 2. Adopting the second in- 
stead of the first open Q unit, not because he 
is compelled to do so by the position of the 



APPENDIX. 



Ibl 



adv^erse KKt, but in order to direct the Q's 
radius of offence against the adverse K Kt 3, 
which has been weakened by the advance of 
K R P. The primary base is now essentially 
complete. (See diagram). 

Fig. 49. 
(Black.) 



■ 4 li ■* ii 

*^« m 11 






HJkP 






m. 






ifmMm,^ «J./ii 



[White.] 



14. KBP-KB3. This 
move, which, if K R P were unmoved, might be 
made with effect, is here utterly ruinous, be- 
cause KKt 3 now becomes an uncovered 
point. 

15. KKtP-KKt4. Initiating the mid- 
game. The utilization of K Kt P for offen- 
sive purposes, which is here finely illustrated, 
is at once one of the most dehcate and one 



1 82 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

of the most elegant manoeuvres of chess 
strategics. 

15. K B P X K Kt. 

16. KBPXP. 16. KB- KB 1. 

17. K Kt P X Q Kt. 17. Q B X P. 

18. Q B - K Kt 3. 18. Q B - K R 6. 

19. KR- Kl. 19. KKt X QB. 

20. KRP X KKt. 20. KKtP-.KKt4. 

21. K R - K 2. 21. Q B - K Kt 5. 

22. K R - K B 2. 22. Q B X K Kt. 

23. K R X Q B. 23. K R - K 2. 

24. Q R - KB 1. White now has four radii 
of offence directed against the objective plane. 
(Cf. note on White's 19th move in Game i.) 

24. Q - Q 2. 

25. Q - K B 2. 25. K B - K Kt 2. 

26. K B - Q Kt 1. 26. Q - K 3. 

27. Q - Q B 2. Threatening checkmate. 

27. KB - KB 1. 
28 K R - K B 6. 28. Q - K R 6. 

29. Q - K B 2. 29. K B - K Kt 2. 

30. K B - K B 5. 30. Q - K R 4. 

31. KB -KKt 6. 31. Q - K R 6. 

32. K R - K B 7. 32. K R X K R. 

33. K B X K R ch. 33. K - K R 1. 

34. KP-K6. Having secured sufficient 
advantage, through the breaking down of 
Black's means of defence, to win the game, 
White thus initiates the ending. 

34. KB-KBl, 

35. Q - K3. 35. KB- K 2. 

36. Q - K 5 ch. 36. K - K R 2. 



APPENDIX. 183 

37. K B - K R 5. 37. Q R - K B 1. 

38. Q R X Q R. 38. K B X Q R. 

39. K P - K 7. 39. K B - K Kt 2. 

40. KB-KKt6ch. 40. Resigns. 

For, whether Black captures KB or not, 
White queens K P, giving check. 



Game 3. 

The third illustrative game was played be- 
tween Messrs. Adolph Anderssen and Howard 
Staunton in the London tournament of 185 i. 
It illustrates, in connection with the partial 
formation of the open primary base i A, the 
institution of an accidental Une of attack. 

White [M7\ Anderssen), Black [Mr. Staunton), 

1. KP - K4. 1. KP -K3. 

2. QP - Q4. 2. KKtP - KKt3. 

(Cf. Game i.) 

3. K B - Q 3. 3. K B - K Kt 2. 

4. QB-K3. 4. QBP-QB4. 

5. QBP-QB3. 5. QBPXQP. 

6. Q B P X P. 6. Q - Q Kt 3. This 
premature development of Q, without the 
cooperation of other force, is one of those 
radical errors in minor tactics which carry 
with them their own condemnation. 

7. K Kt - K 2. 7. Q X Q Kt P. As 

a rule such a sortie of Q is indefensible, inas- 
much as the gain of a P is no compensation 



184 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



for the loss of time entailed and for the op- 
portunity thus afforded to the adversary for 
the speedy development of his forces. 

8. Q Kt - Q B 3. 8. Q - Q Kt 3. 

9. QR-QBl. 9. QKt-QR3. 

10. Q Kt - Q Kt 5. The accidental line 
of attack thus begun by White against the 
black Q's side is the direct result of his 
adversary's unwise deployment of Q (cf. notes 
on Black's 6th and 7th moves). 

10. K B - K B 1. A 
retreat rendered necessary for the defence of 
the weak centre (cf. note on Black's fourth 
move in Game i). 

11. Castles (K R), (See diagram.) 

Fig. 50. 
{Black.) 



m-^M^Mi 



m wftwf 



'^ ^ ' i'^^P^ ' "^ 



y/A cai g mm, ^ 1^ 



( White.) 



APPENDIX. 185 

11. QP - Q3. 

12. Q P - Q 5. Initiating the mid-game. 

12. Q - Q R 4. 

13. Q B - Q 4. 13. K P - K 4. 

14. Q B - Q B 3. 14. Q - Q 1. 

15. K B P - K B 4. 15. K B P - K B 3. 

16. K B P X K P. 16. K B P X P. 

17. Q - Q R 4. 17. Q B - Q 2. 

18. Q B - Q Kt 4. 18. K Kt - K R 3. 

19. K - K R 1. 19. K Kt - K B 2. 

20. Q - Q R 3. 20. Q Kt - Q B 4. 

21. Q Kt X Q P ch. 21. K B X Q Kt. 

22. Q B X Q Kt. 22. K B X Q B. 

23. Q X K B. 23. Q - K 2. 

24. Q - Q B 7. 24 K Kt - Q 3. 

25. Q - Q R 5. 25. K R P - K R 4. 

26. Q R - Q B 7. 26. K R - K B 1. 

27. K R - Q B 1. 27. Q R P - Q R 3. 

28. K Kt - Q 4. 28. Q R - Q B 1. If 
28. KP X KKt; 29. KP- K5. 

29. K Kt - K 6. White now directs four 
radii of offence against the objective plane ; 
viz., one each by means of Q and Q R, and 
two by means of K Kt. 

29. Q R X Q R. 

30. K R X Q R. 30. K R - K B 2. 

31. Q - Q Kt 6. 31. K R - K B 3. 

32. KRP-KR3. 32. KKtP-KKt4. 

33. Q-QKt2. 33. K Kt - Q Kt 4. 

34. K B X K Kt. 34. Q R P X K B. 

35. Q X K P. 35. K R P - K R 5. 

36. Q R X Q Kt P. 36. Resigns. 



1 86 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Game 4. 

The fourth illustrative game was played by 
Mr. Howard Staunton and an amateur. It 
illustrates a variation of the open primary 
base I A, and the consequent attack against 
the adverse centre and K's side. 

White (Mr, Staunton). Black [Amateur], 

1. KP -K4. 1. KP - K4. 

2. KKt-KB3. 2. Q Kt - Q B 3. 

3. Q P - Q 4. This is an effective sequel 
to White's second move of KKt - KB 3. 

3. KP X QP. 

4. Q B P - Q B 3. The correct reply is 
4. KKt X P. The student should understand 
that this game is presented in order to show, 
not the proper method of obtaining a primary 
base, but the actual result obtained, and the 
value of that result. 







4. 


QP-Q6. 


5. 


KKt-Q4. 


5. 


KB -QB4. 


6. 


QB -K3. 


6. 


KB -QKt3. 


7. 


KB X P. 


7. 


KKt -KB 3. 


8. 


KBP-KB4. 


8. 


QP-Q3. 


9. 


KRP-KR3. 


9. 


Castles (KR), 


.0. 


Castles (KR). 


10. 


Q-K2. 



11. Q - K B 3. The proper continuation is 
II. QKt- Q2. 

11. KR -Kl. 

12. Q Kt - Q 2. In a note on the game at 
this point Mr. Staunton remarks, with delightful 



APPENDIX. 



t87 



naivete : '^ White's pieces now make a central 
cluster, formidable alike both for attack and 
defence." 

12. KKt-Q4. 

13. QB-KB2. 13. KKt-KB3. 

14. Q R - K 1. This is the stage of the 
opening at which Mr. Staunton should have 
called the student's attention to the ^^ central 
cluster," — that is, the primary base, of which 
we present a diagram. 

Fig. si. 

(Black.) 



■rii 'm.M 






... iiiJ=.« 

WM ^^# WfW %. WM 



( White. \ 



14. QKt X KKt. 

15. QB X QKt. 15. KB X QBch. 

16. QBP X KB. 16. QBP-QB4. 

17. KP-K5. 17. QPxKP. 



1 88 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

18. KBPXP. 18. KKt Q2. 

19. KP-K6. 19. KBP-KB3. 

20. QP-Q5. 20. KKt-K4. 

21. QR X KKt. 21 Resigns. 

For, if2i. KBPxQR; 22. Q-KBych. 



Game 5. 

The fifth illustrative game was played by 
correspondence, by the University of Cam- 
bridge and the Hull (Eng.) Chess Clubs. It 
shows the value of a primary base from which 
several of the component units have been re- 
moved by exchanges. 

White [Cambridge). Black (Hull). 

1. KP-K4. 1 KP -K4. 

2. QP-Q4. 2 KP X QP. 

3. KKt -KB 3. 3 KB-QB4. 

4. KB-QB4. The proper play is 4. 
K Kt X Q P. 

4. Q P - Q 3. 

5. KKtXQP. 5. KKt-KBa 

6. Castles (KR), 6. Castles (K R). 

7. QB-KKt5c (Cf. p. 140.) 

7. KRP -KR3. 

8. QB X KKt. 8. Q X QB. 

9. QBP-QB3. 9. QRP-QR3. 

10. K-KRl. 10. QB-Q2. 

11. Q - Q 3. 11. K B X K Kt. 

12. Q X K B. 12. Q - K Kt 3. 





^ APPENDIX. l8c 


13. 


Q Kt - Q 2. 


13. QKt-QB3 


14. 


Q-K3. 


14. QKt-K4. 


15. 


K B - Q Kt 3. 


15. QKt-KKt5. 


16. 


Q - K Kt 3. 


16. QKt-K4. 


17. 


Q XQ. 


17. Q Kt X Q. 


18. 


KBP-KB4. 


18. QR-Kl. 


19. 


Q R - K 1. 


19 K-KRl. 


20. 


KB-QB2. 


20. QKt-K2. 


21. 


Q Kt K B 3 


(See diagram of pri 


mary 


base.) 






Fig. 52. 






[Black.) 



^ ^ '^M 



i"'4'iiltiTB" 

^ 'mm ^e^ 



_•. " 



m mA iit • 



m ill «, 






^M^«^..„^«aiSi 



{White.) 

21. KBP-KB4. 

22. QKt-KR4. 22. QB-QKt4. 

23. KR-KKtl. 23. KKtP-KKt 3. 

24. KP X KBP 24. KKtP - KKt4. 

This loses a P, but there is nothing better 



1 90 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

to be done. Again the student is impressed 
with the winning quaUties of the primary base 
when properly estabUshed, as White's is in 
this game. 

25. KBP X KKtP. 25, K R P X P. 

26. QR X QKt. 26. KKtP X Q Kt. 

27. K R - K 1, and wins. White has gained 
a P, which carries him to victory in the 
ending. 



Game 6. 



The sixth illustrative game was played by 
Messrs. Howard Staunton and Berthold Hor- 
witz. It presents some striking examples of 
violations of principle in the mid-game. 

White (Mr, Staunton). Black {Mr Horwitz). 

1. KP-K4. 1. KP- K4. 

2. KKt-KB3. 2. QP-Q3 Tech- 
nically incorrect, because it does not actively 
oppose the formation of the adverse P 
integral. 

3. QP -Q4. 3. KP X QP. 

4. KKt X QP. 4. KKt-KB3. 

5. Q Kt - Q B 3. 5. K B - K 2. 

6. K B - K 2. 6. Castles (K R). 

7. KBP-KB4. 7. QBP-QB4. 
Creating uncovered points at Q 3 and Q4. 

8. K Kt - K B 3. 8. Q Kt - Q B 3. 

9. Castles (K R). 9. Q B - K Kt 5. 



APPENDIX. 



191 



10. QB-K3. 

11. QRP-QR3. 

12. KBX QB. 

13. QKt-K2. 

14. Q Kt - K Kt 3. 

15. QBP-QB3. 

16. Q -QB 2- 



10. QRP-QR3. 

11. Q B X K Kt. 

12. QR -QBl 

13. Q-QB2. 

14. K R - K 1. 

15. QR-Ql. 

16. KB -KBl. 



17. QR-Ql. The correct post for Q R 
with the Q's vertical open (cf. p. 141). 
(See diagram.) 

Fig. 53. 
(Black.) 



y//m'''''% mm m 



iiisai 



iili ■»■ 

iB*ii m • 
■„ ft ■, "* 






m^wm^^W^/. 



(White,) 



17. QKtP-QKt3. 

18. QKtP-QKt4. 18 QKt-QR2. 

19. QBP -QB4. 19. QBP x QKtP. 

20. QRPxP. 20. QP-Q4. The 



192 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

situation is amusing, as well as instructive. 
Two violations of principle — the undefended 
Q and the equally undefended Q B — exist 
in White's position, and Black thinks to take 
advantage of these defects. 

21. Q-KB2. But White defends both 
his previously undefended pieces, and at the 
same time directs a radius of offence against 
the uncovered point at the adverse Q Kt 3, 
the ill effect of which is intensified by the 
false position of the black Q, QR and Q Kt, 
all of which are subject to the simultaneous 
attack of the white Q B. 

21. QKt-QBl. And 
Black is therefore compelled to lose time in 
the correction of his errors, and to afford 
White the opportunity for establishing an 
irresistible centre. The remainder of the 
play calls for no comment, but it should be 
carefully examined by the student. 

22. Q B P X Q P. 22. K B X Q Kt P. 

23. K P - K 5. 23. K Kt - Q 2. 

24. Q P - Q 6. 24. Q - Q Kt 1. 

25. KB-QB6. 25 KKtP-KKt3. 

26. QKt -K4. 26. KR-K3. 

27. Q - K R 4. 27. Q Kt - Q R 2. 

28. K B X K Kt. 28. Q R X K B. 

29. Q Kt - K Kt 5. 29. K R P - K R 4. 

30. Q Kt X K R. 30. K B P X Q Kt. 

31. KBP-KB5. 31. QRP-QR4. 

32. KBPXKP. 32. QR-KKt2. 

33. K P - K 7. 33. Resigns. 



APPENDIX. 193 

Game 7. 

The seventh illustrative game was played 
by Messrs. Isidor Gunsberg and H. E. Bird 
in the tournament of the Sixth American 
Chess Congress, which took place in New 
York in 1889. It illustrates the effectiveness 
of the open primary base 2 A. 

White {Mr. Gunsberg), Black {Mr, Bird). 

1 QP -Q4. 1. KP-K3. 

2. K P - K 4. 2. Q Kt P - Q Kt 3 

3. K B - Q a 3. Q B - Q Kt 2. 

4. K Kt - K B 3. In a note on this 
move Mr. William Steinitz sapiently remarks : 
" Not a good post for the Kt in this opening." 

4. KKtP-KKt3. 

5. Castles (KR ) 5. K B - KKt 2. 
The double fianchetto. 

6. QBP-QB3. 6. KRP-KR4. 

7. Q B - K 3. 7. Q P - Q 3. 

8. Q - Q B 2. 8. Q Kt - Q 2. 

9. QKt-Q2. 9. Q - K 2. 

10. QR-Kl. Notwithstanding the de- 
fective position of White's K Kt, the superi- 
ority of bis comparatively perfect primary 
base over Black's compromised P inte- 
gral and unscientifically posted pieces is 
strikingly exemplified in the ensuing play. 
(See diagram.) 

13 



194 ^^^ MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

Fig. 54. 

(Black.) 






»„ ji J ■ 







(White.) 



11. KRP-KR3. 

12 KP-K5. 

13. QP X P. 

14. KB-K4. 

15. KB X QBch. 

16. Q R X K B. 

17. Q - K 4 ch. 



10. KRP-KR5. 

11. K B - K R 3. 

12. Q P X K P. 

13. Castles (Q R). 

14. KB X QB. 

15. K X K B. 

16. KKt-KR3. 

17. K- QR3. An 



error that only hastens his inevitable defeat. 

18. Q B P - Q B 4. 18. Q Kt - Q B 4. 

19. Q R - Q R 3 ch. 19. Resigns. 



APPENDIX, 195 

Game 8. 

The eighth illustrative game was played by 
Messrs. J. H. Blackburne and Hamel. It 
illustrates the partial formation of the open 
primary base 3, and the subsequent winning 
advance of K B P. 

White [Mr. Blackburne). Black (M7\ Hamel). 

1. KP-K4. 1. QKtP-QKt3 

2. QP-Q4. 2. QB-QKt2. 

3. KBP-KB3. Although the forma- 
tion of the first auxiliary salient before 
that of the first salient is not generally 
advisable, it may be done when, as in this 
game, Black makes an early fianchetto of 
QB, provided the completion of the main 
salient immediately follows ; but the auxiliary 
salient is seldom tenable before castling, if 
the K's minor diagonal is thereby opened to 
the immediate entrance of the adverse Q 
or KB. 

3. KP-K3. 

4. K B - Q 3. 4. Q B P - Q B 4. 

5. QBP-QB3. 5. QBPXQP, 

6. QBPXP. 6. KB-QKt5ch. 

7. QKt-QB3. 7. KKt-K2. 

8. K Kt - K 2. 8. Castles (K R). 

9. Castles (KR). 9. K B X Q Kt. 
10. QKtP X KB. White has now com- 
pleted as much of the primary base as he 



196 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



requires before entering upon the K's side 
attack. (See diagram.) 

Fig. 55. 
(Black.) 



'^/my « y///////A va 



■ ■ 1 ■ 



i imS ■ 



m § 






^ 



■ ^■«F»^"»'^'''^ 



^ ^^M 



( /^////^.) 

10. KKt-KKt3. 

11. K Kt - K Kt 3. 11. Q B - Q R 3. 

12. KB P- KB 4. 12. Q-QB2. 

13. KBP-KB5. A fine example of the 
advance of K B P as the initiation of a K*s 
side attack, which is here made possible by 
the false position of Black's K Kt. 

13. Qx QBE. (See 
notes on Black's 6th and 7th moves in 
Game 3). 

14. K B X Q B. 14. Q Kt X K B. 

15. KBP X KKt. 15. Q X QR, 



APPENDIX, 197 

16. KKtP X Pch. 16. K-KRl. 

17. KKt-KR5. 17. K B P - K B 4. 
la KKt-KB4. 18. KXKRP. 

19. Q-KR5ch. 19. K-KKtl. 

20. KKt-KKt6. 20. Q X Q P ch. 

21. K KRl. 21. KR-Kl. 

22. KR-Ql. 22. Q-QB6. 

23. KP-K5. 23 QKt - QB4. 

24. QB-KKt5. 24 Q Kt - Q 6. 

25. Q B - KB 6. Black cannot now escape 
checkmate in a few moves. 

25. QKt-KB7ch. 

26. K-KKtl. 26. Resigns. 



Game 9. 

The ninth illustrative game, played by 
Messrs. John Mason and Isidor Gunsberg, 
gave the latter the special prize for the best- 
played galme in the tournament of the Sixth 
American Chess Congress. It illustrates the 
advantages of a sound defence, as obtained 
by the establishment of the open primary 
base 4 A. 

White [Mr, Mason). Black [Mr. Gunsberg). 

1. KP- K4. 1. KP-K4. 

2 KKt-KB3. 2. QKt-QB3. 

3. KB-QB4. 3 KB-QB4. 

4. Q P - Q 3. Entirely unscientific on the 
part of the first player, as it estabhshes the 



198 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

third salient, a feature of the defensive pri- 
mary base, and is not a sound preparation 
for the estabhshment of the first sahent, the 
fundamental unit of the offensive primary 
base (cf. law, p. 169). 

4. Q P - Q 3. 

5, QB-K3. 5. KB-QKt3(cf. 
remarks on K B, p. 143). 

6, Q B P - Q B 3. As already stated, QB P 
should generally be held back until after the 
advance of QP to Q4. 

6 KKt-KB3. 

7, QKt-Q2 7. Q - K2. Not a 
scientific Q unit, and justifiable only on ac- 
count of White's violations of principle in 
the development. 

8. QRP-QR4. 8. QB-K3. 

9. KB - QKt5. 9. KB X QB. 

10. KB P X KB. 10. QRP-QR3. 

11. KB X QKtch. 11. QKtP X KB. 

12. QKtP - QKt4. 12. Castles (KR) 

13. Castles (KR). 13. KKt - KKt5. 

14. Q-K2. 14. KBP-KB4. 
This advance, which perfects the supporting 
parallel and completes the angle of resist- 
ance, should be adopted as early as feasible 
with this P integral. (See diagram of Black's 
position.) 



APPENDIX, 



199 



Fig. 56. 
(Black.) 




(W/lUcf.) 



15. KP X KB P. 

16. KP-K4. 

17. Q Kt - Q B 4. 
18 QKt-K3 

19. QBP - QB4. 



15. QB X P. 

16. Q B - Q 2. 

17. KKt-KB3. 

18. K Kt P - K Kt 3. 

Creating an uncovered 
point at Q 4, which Black at once manoeuvres 
to occupy with K Kt. 



20. KKtP-KKt3. 
21 KR-KB2. 

22. Q - Q Kt 2. 

23. Q R - K 1. 

24. Q R - K 2. 



19. KKt-KR4. 

20. QB-KR6. 

21. KKt-KKt2, 

22. K Kt - K 3 

23. KR-KB2. 

24. QR-KBl. 



Operating three radii of offence against the 
objective plane. 



200 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

25. K Kt - Kl. 25 K Kt - Q 5. 

26. Q R - Q 2. 26 Q - K Kt 4. 

27. QKt-KKt2. 27. QB X Q Kt 

28. K X Q B 28 Q - K 6. 

29. K - KB 1. 29. K Kt- Q Kt 6. 

30. Resigns. 

The student should carefully examine the 
situation, and convince himself that White 
has no means of avoiding decisive loss. 



Game io. 



The tenth illustrative game was played by 
Messrs. W. H. K. Pollock and G. H. D. 
Gossip, in the tournament of the Sixth Ameri- 
can Chess Congress. It presents an example 
of the open primary base 5 A. 

White {M7\ Pollock), Black (Afr. Gossip). 

1. KP-K4. 1. KP-K4. 

2. KKt-KB3. 2. Q Kt - Q B 3. 

3. KB-QB4. 3. KB- Q B 4. 

4. QBP-QB3. 4. KKt-KB3. 

5. QP-Q3. 5. QP-Q3. 

6. KRP-KR3. 6. Q B - K 3. 

7. K B - Q Kt 3. 7. Q - K 2. Not 
only an unscientific Q unit (cf. note on Black's 
7th move in Game 9), but unjustifiable here ; 
for there is no reason why Q should not be 
moved to its proper post, Q 2. 

8. QB-K3. 8. KB X Q B. 

9. K B P X K B. 9. Castles (K R). 



APPENDIX, 



20 1 



10. Q B P - Q B 4. 10 K Kt - K R 4. 

Altogether premature. He should perfect 
the primary base at once by 10. QR-Ki. 

11. KKtP-KKt4. 11 KKt-KB3. 
12 Q Kt - Q B 3. 12 Q R - K 1. 

EstabHshing the primary base in an irre- 
proachable form, except the false position 
of Q. (See diagram.) 

Fig. 57. 
(Black.) 



m. 



"M. 



■^ 






m, ^ 



Mil a mi, 

A WM WB %m y//////// 



ill 



( White.) 



13. Q-K2. 

14. Castles (Q R). 

15. K B - Q B 2. 

16. KB-QKtl. 

17. Q P - Q 4. 

18. Q~Q2 

19. QxKKt. 



13. K Kt - Q 2. 

14. KKt-QB4. 

15. Q Kt - Q Kt 5. 

16. Q B - Q 2. 

17. KKt-QR5. 

18. K Kt X Q Kt. 

19. Q Kt - Q B 3. 



202 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

20. KB-QB2. 

21. K - Q Kt 1. 

22. Q P X K P. 
23 Q X Q Kt. 

24. Q R - Q 5. 

25. QR X QRP 

26. KKt-Q2. 

27. KR-Ql. 

28. QR-QR3. 

29. Q R - K Kt 3 
30 Q R - K Kt 1, 

31. QR-Kl 

32. K-QBl. 

33. KRP~KR4 

34. QR-KKtl. 

35. QR-Kl. 

36. Q Kt P - Q Kt 4. 

37. Resigns. 

White's last move was a blunder, but he 
could do nothing to save the game. 



20. 


QRP-QR4. 


21. 


QKt-QKt5. 


22. 


QKt X KB. 


23. 


QP X P. 


24. 


Q B - Q B 3. 


25. 


Q-KB3. 


26. 


Q - K B 7. 


27 


QXKP. 


28. 


Q-K7. 


29. 


QR-Ql. 


30. 


QR-Q5. 


31. 


Q-KKt7. 


32. 


KR-Ql. 


33. 


Q X K Kt P. 


34. 


Q-KB5. 


35. 


Q X KRP. 


36. 


Q R X K Kt, 



Game ii. 



The eleventh illustrative game was played 
by Messrs. Adolph Anderssen and J. H. Black- 
burne, in the international tournament at 
Vienna, in 1873. It shows the effective 
establishment of the open primary base i B 
by the second player. 

White (Mr. Anderssen), Black [Mr. Blackburne). 

1. K P - K 4. 1. K P - K 4. 

2. KKt-KB3 2. Q Kt - Q B 3. 



APPENDIX. 



203 



3. KB-QKt5 

4. K Kt X Q Kt 

5. QP-Q3. 
6 KB-QB4 

7. Castles (KR). 

8. K P X Q P. 

9. Q Kt - Q 2. 

10. QKt -K4. 

11. Q - K 2. 
12 QB -Q2. 

13. QR-Kl 

14. K B P - K B 4 
15 QKt-KKt3 

taining the open 



3. Q Kt - Q 5. 
4 K P X K Kt. 
5. QBP-QB3. 

6 K Kt - K B 3. 

7 QP -Q4 

8 KKt X P. 

9 QB-K3. 

10. K B - K 2. 

11. Castles (KR). 

12 Q - Q 2. 

13 QR-Kl. 

14. K B P - K B 4. 

15. KB-QB4. Ob- 
primary base I B in an 



almost perfect form, the only variations being 
in the centre of the P line. (See diagram.) 

Fig. 58. 
[Black.) 






■^ 



■»7^ 



lifil 11 fc 

Q y//////A Vy^"- 



V/, ^^^i 



^ ^^ ^^^^ ^ ^ ^^ 



; White.) 



204 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 

16 Q - K B 3. 16 K Kt - K 6. 

17. Q B X KKt. 17. Q P X Q B. 

18. Q - K 2. 18 Q B X K B. 

19. QP X QB. 19 KR-KB3. 

20. Q R - Q 1. 20. K R - Q 3. 

21. Q R X K R. 21. Q X Q R. 
22 QKt X KBP 22. Q-KB3. 

23. KKt P- KKt 4. 23. Q R - Q 1. 

24. KR-Kl. 24. QXQKtP, 

25. KKtP-KKt5. 25. Q - Q B 6. 

26. K-KRl. 26. Q-Q7 

27. Q X Q. 27. KP X Q. 

28. KR - Q 1. 28. K B - Q Kt 5. 
The beginning of the end-game. 

29. K-KKt2. 29. QR-Kl. 

30. Q B P - Q B 3. 30. K B X Q B P 

31. K-KB2 31. QBP - QB4. 

32. Resigns, 

White cannot prevent the adversary from 
playing QR - K 8, which forces the game. 



Game 12. 



The twelfth illustrative game was the thir- 
teenth game of the match between Mr. 
Howard Staunton of England, and M. St, 
Amant of France, which was played in Paris 
in 1843. I^ shows an approximately cor- 
rect method of forming the close primary 
base I, and the K's side attack resulting from 
Black's inferior defence. 



APPENDIX, 205 

White {M. St. A?na7it). Black {Mr. Staunton), 

1. QP-Q4. 1. KP-K3. Infe- 
rior, because in reply White may play 2. 
K P - K 4, with the most favorable prospect 
of obtaining the open primary base i A. 
The correct move is i. QP - Q4. 

2. QBP-QB4 He should first establish 
the second salient by 2. KP - K 3, if he does 
not prefer to initiate the open game by 2. 
KP - K4. The premature formation of the 
supporting parallel in many instances affords 
Black opportunities for counter-attack which 
interfere with White's estabhshment of the 
primary base. 

2. Q P - Q 4. 

3. KP -K3. 3. KKt-KB3. 

4. Q Kt - Q B 3. 4. Q B P - Q B 4. 

5. K Kt - K B 3 5. QKt - Q B 3. 

6- QRP-QR3, The student hardly re- 
quires to be told that this is not only 
unnecessary, but on any ground is an inde- 
fensible violation of theory (cf. p. 162). 

6. KB-K2. In the 
close opening K B is properly a defensive piece, 
and should be posted at K 2 if the adversary 
makes a fianchetto of Q B at Q Kt 2 ; on the 
other hand, it should be deployed at Q 3, as 
an offensive piece, if the adversary plays Q B 
to Q 2, Each player ought to wait, therefore, 
until the other declares his intention with re- 
gard to the development of his Q B, before 
he moves his own K B. In the present in- 



206 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

Stance Black, instead of moving KB - K 2, 
should prepare to fianchetto QB by playing 
6. QKtP- QKt3. 

7. KB-Q3. White makes the same mis- 
take as Black did in his last move, in hastily 
developing K B. 

7, Castles (KR). 

a Castles (K R). 8. Q Kt P - Q Kt 3. 

9. QKtP-QKtS. 9. QB-QKt2. 

Black's position at this point is entirely in 
accordance with the theory. White's is infe- 
rior in respect to the advance of Q R P and 
the posting of K B at Q 3 instead of K2. 
(See diagram.) 



Fig. 59. 
[Black.) 






m ill tai 






iP««if#^ 



rs^^ 'm. 



"^ h„i« ■ 



r 



yA 






^x^^^ 



g^ 



( White.) 



APPENDIX. 207 

10 QBP X QP, 10 K P X P. The 

object of White's last move was to induce 
Black to recapture, as he now does, with 
KP; but the authors maintain that the 
proper play is 10. KKt x P, and then, if 
II. QKtx KKt, II. QxQKt. 

11. Q B - Q Kt 2. 11. Q B P X Q P. 

12. K P X P- Isolated Ps, like those which 
now exist in the position, are rigorously to 
be avoided by the correct player. 

12. K B - Q 3. At- 
tempting a premature counter-attack, and 
withdrawing the defensive force of KB from 
its proper post. He should play 12. Q-Q2, 
in order to defend the Q B's major diagonal, 
and provide for bringing Q R into play along 
the open K's vertical. 

13. KR-Kl Judiciously occupying the 
open vertical. 

13 KRP-KR3. 
Obviously weakening his position still more. 
14 Q R - Q B 1. 14. Q R - Q B 1. 

15. Q R - Q B 2. 15. Q R - Q B 2. 

16. QR-K2. 16. Q-QBl. 

17. K R P - K R 3. Quite as indefensible as 
Black's 13th move. 

17. Q Kt - Q 1. 

18. Q - Q 2 18. Q R P - Q R 3. 
Cf. notes on White's 6th and 17th moves, 
and Black's 13th move. 

19. QKtP-QKt4. 19. QKt-K3. 

20. KB -KB 5. Black's position is now 



208 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

almost fatally defective, and White avails 
himself of his advantage in a telling mannei 
20. KKt-K5. 

21. Q Kt X KKt 21. Q P X Q Kt. 

22. Q P - Q 5. 22. P X K Kt. He 
can now improve his position somewhat by 
22. KB- KB5. 

23. Q R X Q Kt. Mr. Staunton considered 
that from this point to the .end his opponent'? 
play was of the highest order. 

23. Q-Ql. 

24. QB -KB 6. 24. KKtP X QB. 

25. QR X KB. 25. K-KKt2, 

26. Q R X Q, ^i^d wins. ^ 



Game 13. 



The thirteenth ilhistrative game was played 
by Messrs. J. H. Zukertort and J. H. Black- 
burne, in the London international tournament 
of' 1883. It affords a fine example of the 
accidental line of attack growing out of the 
close opening. 

White {Mr. Zukertort). Black [Mr. Blackburne). 

1. Q B P - Q B 4. Objectionable for reasons 
previously stated. See note on White's 2d 
move in the preceding game. 

1. K P - K 3. Sound 
now, because White, having advanced QBP 
to QB4, cannot adopt the open formation. 



APPENDIX. 209 

2. KP-K3. 2. KKt-KB3. 

3. K Kt - K B 3. 3. Q Kt P - Q Kt 3. 

4. K B - K 2. Proper, because Black, by 
his last move, has declared his intention to 
fianchetto QB. Cf. note on Black's 6th 
move in the preceding game. 

4. Q B - Q Kt 2. 

5. Castles (K R) . 5^. Q P - Q 4. 

6. QP-Q4. 6. KB-Q3. It is 
necessary now to bring out K B, in order 
to permit castling (K R) ; any endeavor 
further to develop the Q's wing by QBP - 
QB4, etc., would be hazardous on account 
of the exposed position of K. The correct 
play, however, is 6. K B - K 2, because if 
White subsequently fianchettoes his QB, 
Black's KB is then properly posted; and if, 
on the other hand. White commits the error 
of playing QB -Q2, the black KB may 
subsequently be moved to Q3. 

7. Q Kt - Q B 3. 7. Castles (K R). 

8 Q Kt P -'^Q Kt 3. 8 Q Kt - Q 2. 

9 QB-QKt2. 9 Q-K2. 

White has now an absolutely perfect posi- 
tion, while Black's KB, Q Kt and Q are 
incorrectly posted. Black should properly 
have completed his P integral by advan- 
cing his QBP to its fourth, and retaken with 
Q Kt in case of an exchange of Ps. (See 
diagram.) 

14 



2IO THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS. 



Fig. 6o. 
[Black.) 






It ■1»J, ■ 






|^»^ m.MJ4m.^^fm 



[White.) 

10. Q Kt - Q Kt 5. Taking advantage of 
the adversary's errors at once, by forcing the 
exchange of QKt for the adverse KB, and 
thus destroying a force which should be 
maintained for the defence. 

10. KKt-K5. 

11 Q Kt X K B. 11. Q B P X Q Kt. 

Recapturing with Q is better ; he should not 
withdraw Q B P from its own vertical. 

12. K Kt - Q 2. 12. Q Kt - KB 3. 

13. KB P - K B 3 13. K Kt X KKt. 

14. Q X K Kt. The attention of the student 
is particularly invited to the manner in which 
White maintains the integrity of his primary 
base. 



APPENDIX. 2 I I 

14. Q P X Q B P. 

15. K B X P. 15. Q P - Q 4. 

16. KB-Q3. 16. KR-QBl. This 
point should of course be occupied by QR, 
and not by KR, in the close game. 

17. QR-Kl. Beginning to convert the 
close into the open primary base for the 
purpose of a K's side attack and winning in 
the mid-game, which is a manoeuvre of the 
highest order of chess. 

17 K R - Q B 2. 

18. K P - K 4. 18. Q R - Q B 1. 

19. KP-K5. 19. Q Kt - K 1. It 
will be noticed that White's first real offensive 
operation is the dislodging of the adverse Kt 
from its proper defensive post on the K's 
side. 

20 KBP -KB4. 20. KKtP-KKt3. 

A fatal weakening of the K's wing Ps. He 
would better prevent the further advance of 
the adverse K B P by playing here K B P - 
KB4. 

21. Q R - K 3. 21. KB P - K B 4. 

22. KP X KBP en p. 22. Q Kt X P. 

23. KBP -KB 5. The process of disin- 
tegration of the adverse K's side, as car- 
ried out by Mr. Zukertort in this game, is an 
unexceptionable model of this sort of play. 

23. QKt-K5. 

24. K B X Q Kt. 24. Q P X K B. 

25. K B P X K Kt P. 25. K R - Q B 7. 

26. P X K R P ch. 26. K - K R 1. 

27. QP-Q5ch. 27. KP-K4. 



212 THE MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS, 

28. Q - Q Kt 4. ThQ grand coup, — offering 
the unsupported Q without either capturing 
a piece or giv^ing check, and under such cir- 
cumstances that whether Q be captured or 
not the game is equally won. 

28. Q R - Q B 4. If 
28. Q X Q; 29. QB X KPch, 29. K x 
P; 30. QR-KR3ch, 30. K-KKt3; 
31. QR-KKt3 ch, 31. K-KR3; 32. 
KR-KB6ch,32. K-KR4; 2>?>' KR- 
KBsch, 33. K-KR3; 34. QB~KB4 
ch, 34. K moves ; 35. R mates. 

29. KR-KB 8 ch. 29. K X P 

30. Q X K P ch. 30. K - K Kt 2. 

31. Q B X KP ch. 31, K X K R. 

32. Q B - K Kt 7 ch. 32., Resigns. 



Game 14. 

The fourteenth illustrative game was played 
by Messrs. James McConnell and Paul Mor- 
phy; it shows the power of the counter- 
attack arising from the close primary base 2. 

White (Mr. McConnell). Black (Mr, Morphy) 

1. KP-K4. 1. KP-K3. 

2 QP-Q4. 2. QP-Q4. 

3. KP-K5, A move that properly be- 
longs to the mid-game, and is altogether 
premature and inadvisable in the opening. 

3. Q B P - Q B 4. 

4. Q B P - Q B 3. 4. Q Kt - Q B 3. 



APPENDIX. 



213 



5. KBP-KB4. 

6. KKt-KB3. 

7. QRP-QR3. 
a QKtP-QKt4. 
9. QBP X P 

10. QB-QKt2. 



5. Q - Q Kt 3. 

6. Q B - Q 2. 

7. KKt-KR3. 

8. QBP X QP. 

9. QR-QBl. 
10. KKt-KB4. 



11. Q - Q 3. White's position is entirely 
unscientific, while Black's is in all respects 
strong and sound. (See diagram.) 

Fig. 61. 
[Black.) 



»|iIfiJ% 



mJ^^'^'m 



ui' 



. — 



^^^fii«^« 



Mi fit mi m. 



1 



lit ^SM^^ 

m. mm. mw/, a #sj 



^_ « « ■ a IS 






m waMj^^. 



( ^/^/V^.) 



12. QRP X KB. 

13. Q - Q 2. 

14. Q - Q 1. 

15. Resigns. 



11. KB X QKtPch. 

12. QKt X QKtP. 

13. Q R - Q B 7. 

14. KKt-K6. 



214 ^^^ MINOR TACTICS OP CHESS, 

Game 15. 

The fifteenth illustrative game was played by 
Messrs. Joseph Szen and Adolph Anderssen 
in the London tournament of 1 85 1 . It shows 
the method of obtaining a favorable form of 
the close primary base 3 in the face of the 
adverse open attack ; it is more frequently 
adopted in reply to the close opening of the 
first player. 

WnrrE (Mr Sze?t). Black (J/r. Anderssen) 

1. KP-K4. 1. QBP-QB4. 

2. K Kt - K B 3. 2. Q Kt - Q B 3. 

3. QKt-QB3. The proper play is 3. 
QP - Q4, after which White can readily 
establish a favorable form of the open pri- 
mary base. 

3. K P ~ K 3 

4. K B - Q B 4 4. Q R P - Q R 3. 

5. QRP-QR4. 5. K Kt -K2. 

6. Q-K2, 6 KKt KKt3. 

7. QP-Qa 7. KB -K2. 

8. QB - K3. 8. Castles (KR). 

9. Castles (K R). 9. K B P - K B 4. 

10. K P X K B P. 10. KR X P 

11. Q Kt - Q Kt 1. 11. Q Kt P - Q Kt 3. 

12. Q B P - Q B 3. Having committed sev- 
eral gross errors, White attempts in vain to 
remedy them by play which, earUer, would 
have been quite correct ; but it is now too 
late. 

12. QB-QKt2. 





APPENDIX. 


13. Q Kt - Q 2 


13. Q-QB2. 


14 Q P - Q 4. 


14. KKt-KB5 


15. Q - Q 1. 


15. QR-KBl. 


(See diagram.) 






Fig. 62. 




{Black.) 



215 






■^■i.B U 



i 



i ■li 



Bl S1^ lH^i^lii 



i^i ^ 



( ^>^/V^.) 



16. Q P X Q B p. 

17. Q B X K Kt. 

18. KR -Kl. 

19. KB -K2. 

20. K-KBl. 

21. KRP-KR4. 



16. Q Kt P X P. 

17. Q X Q B. . 

18. QKt-K4. 

19. KR-KKt4 
20 QKt-KKt5. 
21. Q-KR7. 



A speedier method of winning is by 21. 
QKt-KRych; 22. K- KKt i, 22. K R X 
KKtPch; 23. K X KR, 23. QR-KB3. 

22. KB -QB4. 22. Q-KR8ch. 

23 K - K2. 23. Q X KKtP. 



2l6 THE MINOR TACTICS OF CHESS, 

24. KKt X KR. 24. KB X KKt. 

25. KRP X KB. 25. Q X KBPch. 

26. K - Q 3. 26. Q - K B 4 ch. 

27. K-K2. 27. Q-K4ch. 

28. K - Q 3. 28. K Kt - K B 7 ch., 
and wins. 



INDEX; 



Page 

Adverse , . . . 26 

Analysis, unreliability of 93, 128 

Angles of resistance 95> 97> 102 

Attack 51, 161, 162 

directly against King 85 

accidental line of .... 127,135,136,184 

Bishops, class . . .s . 24 

radiation of force 28 

movement 29 

potential complement 31 

two in combination 62, 80, 140 

relative values of 62 

Board and men, size and pattern of ... . 11 

description of 12-21 

Capture 28 

notation of 50 

Castling 71, 120 

Check 42 

law of 63 

notation of 65, 74 

double and discovered ....... 74 

perpetual 89 

Checkmate 42, 60, 6^, 76, 91 

notation of 66 

Combination 70 

Command 26 

Counter-attack 79, 151, 165, 166 

means for 110,115 

Defend 51 

Diagonals c . . . . 16, 21 

notation of 49 



2 1 8 INDEX, 

Drawn game .......... 83, 89, 90 

Ending 82 

En passant 39 

En prise , ^^ 

Exchange of pieces 60 

Bishop for Knight 62, 80, 135 

Rook for Knight 73 

winning the 83 

Feint 77, 174, 176 

Fianchetto 172, 195, 205, 209 

Force inherent in pieces ...,,.,. 22 
of Knight cannot be intercepted ... 32, 53 

Forking . 75 

Game, object of 42 

open or close 100 

Games, illustrative 57~"9ij 171-216 

Grand coup 212 

Horizontals 15, 20 

Integrals of superior pieces ..... 122, 123 

Interposition , 64, 70 

Kindred 26 

King, class 24 

radiation of force 36 

movement 36 

potential complement ^il 

normal position 53 

cannot be captured ........ 53 

cannot capture defended piece .... 65 

cannot be exposed to check 65 

proper post after castling 122 

King's Knight, normal position 54 

proper posts in open game . . .117, 138, 153 
proper post in close game .... 118,162 

King's Bishop, normal position 53 

proper posts in open game . 119, 139, 143, 154 
proper posts in close game . 119, 120, 163, 167 

King's Rook, normal position 52 

proper post in open game . . .120, 140, 152 
proper posts in close game 120, 121, 163, 167 

King^s Pawn, normal position 55 

proper post in open game . . . 105,136,152 
projDer post in close game . . . . 112,160 



INDEX. 219 

King's Bishop's Pawn, normal position ... 55 

advance of 96, 108, 137 

proper post for offence .... 96, 109, 137 ^ 

proper post for defence 109, 149 

unmoved in close game 103, 160 

King's Knight's Pawn, normal position . . 55 

unmoved in opening . . . 103, 133, 152, 160 

King's Rook's Pawn, normal position ... 55 

unmoved in opening . . . 103, 130, 152, 160 

Knights, class 24 

radiation of force 31 

movement 32 

potential complement ....... 33 

Lines (of board) 13-21 

Mid-game 82 

Minor Tactics, nature and purpose of . . 92, 93 

grand law of 169 

errors in 61, 131, 134, 140, 155, 172, 180, 183, 
192, 193, 197, 198, 200, 201, 205, 207, 209, 

212, 214 
Movement (of pieces) ,..,...... 23 

notation of 50, 66 

Normal position of pieces 5^-56 

Notation of pieces and points 47-50 

table 49 

Objective plane 42, 56 

concentration of force against 69, 72, 177, 182, 

199 

shifting of 79 

Obliques 17, 21 

rule for obtaining 18 

Opening 82 

Opposition (of Kings) 90 

Pawns, class 24 

radiation of force 38 

movement 38 

potential complement 41 

queening of 40, 88, 183 

doubled 77 

isolated 80, 207 

weak 84 

passed '^'^ 



220 



INDEX. 



Pawn positions ».....>,., 94, 115 
normal base .. = ..,.... 94, 103 

units 98 

integrals 98, 104-115 

subversion of 104 

Pieces, classes and properties of ... . 22-41 
active agents of chess force ..... 24 

Pinning 61 

Players (White and Black) ....... 48 

Points the centres of squares ...... 14 

uncovered . . . , , 131, 172, 181, 192, 199 

Primary bases . 124-168 

definition 124 

construction ........... 125 

approximation to 126, 135 

table ............. 129 

Queen, class ,.......,,.. 24 

radiation of force 34 

movement 35 

potential complement 35 

normal position .......... 53 

121, 142, 145, 152, 
155 



proper posits ni open game 
proper posts in close game 



Queen's Knight, normal position 
proper posts in open game 
proper post in close game 

Queen's Bishop, normal position 

at K Kt 5 

proper post in open game 
proper posts in close game 

Queen's Rook, normal position 
proper post in open game 
proper post in clo^e game 

Queen's Pawn, normal position 
proper posts in open game 
proper posts in close game 
advance to Q 4 by Black 

Queen's Bishop's Pawn, normal 
proper posts in open game 
proper post in close game 



IT9 



117= 



163, 165, 
167 
54 

153 
162 



138, 
118, 



119, T39, 

120, 163, 



120, 141, 
120, 121, 



52 
61 

165 

52 
152 

163 

55 

152 

161 

79 

position . . 55 

. 81, 106, 133, 152 

. . . .112, 163 



106, 



134, 
112, 



INDEX. 22 1 

Queen's Knight's Pawn, normal position , . 55 

unmoved in open game 103 

proper post in close game . . .112, 162, 165 

Queen's Rook's Pawn, normal position ... 55 

unmoved in opening . . . 103, 130, 152, 162 

Radii of defence 52 

offence 58 

how best opposed . 81 

Resignation 82 

Rooks, class 24 

radiation of force . 26 

movement 27 

potential complement . 27 

doubled . . ^ . , 74 

at base of open vertical . . , . 141, 163, 207 

Sacrifice of material 60, 73 

Salients . 95-101 

Sides (of board), King's and Queen's ... 45 

White's and Black's 48 

Squares (of board) 12, 14 

Stalemate , . . . 90 

Superior pieces 116-T23 

at Q 4 in lieu of Queen's Pawn . . 135, 161 

Supporting parallels 95, 97, loi 

Time, gain of 80, 132, 177 

loss of . 80, 32 

Units, Pawn 98 

of superior pieces 1 16-122 

subversion of . . , 118 

Verticals 15, 20 

notation of 48 

Wings (of position), King's and Queen's . . 46 






THE 

GRAND TACTICS OF CHESS. 



An exposition of the laws and principles of Chess Strat 
getics, — the practical application of these laws am 
principles to the movement of forces, mobilization,' 
development, manoeuvre, and operation. By Frank- 
lin K. Young, author of " The Minor Tactics of 
Chess/' One handsome 8vo volume, 478 pages, cloth, 
gilt. Price, ^3.50. 

WITH THREE HUNDRED DIAGRAMS. 

THIS book inaugurates a new epoch in chess literature. Its 
pages, teeming with plain, clear-cut statements of admitted 
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the fog of analytical fallacy of which chess manuals hitherto have 
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at the same time is constructive in the highest degree. For while 
it remorselessly casts down the cherished monuments of mediocrity, 
and sweeps away the debris of illusory analysis, — in the main com- 
piled by men who, in the words of the old chess proverb, "can 
criticise a knight stronger than they can play," — it does not leave 
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whether master or tyro, a splendid edifice of chess knowledge, com- 
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all resting upon a basic truth, — the fundamental law of chess. 

This book is the culmination of that theory of chess play of 
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The many students of the latter will not only be delighted, but 
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Morphy, Anderssen, De la Bourdonnais, Philidor, Deschapelles, 
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I 



LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY, 

Boston. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS # 



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